The Devil In Me
by venkaskribbles
Summary: Following the defeat of the Garuda, Kenzi must face the consequences of her actions with the Norn. But Dyson will not let her face them alone. Kenzi/Dyson, Bo/Lauren
1. Chapter 1

Note: This is my first foray back into fanfic in a long time, so please leave me some feedback on if this is a utter mess! Spoilers for season 2, particularly the finale. I do have an extensive story planned after this chapter, and will try to keep writing it quickly! No Beta at this time!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters!

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The Devil In Me

Stepping outside the Dal a few minutes after she had left so quickly, Dyson took a long deep breath of the crisp autumn air. He tested for the scent he knew so well, and with as injured and exhausted as she was, she had not gotten very far. Walking through the ally to the parking area around the corner from the bar, Kenzi was seated on the hood of Bo's car, her back towards him. Bent over slightly, her chin rested on the heels of her hands, elbows resting on her knees. It was beginning to get dark, the air cooling quickly with the descent of the sun. With as much blood as she had lost today, and her general penchant for having horrible circulation in those skinny limbs he knew she must be getting cold. He intentionally kicked up some gravel as he walked, not wanting to startle her as he approached from behind.

"I know, I know. I being a rude human and skipping out on some mandatory post life and death fae party ritual thing or something." She turned her head slightly, and was surprised to see her favorite wolf and not her bestie, as a smile broke across her pale and exhausted face. He hid his concern for the moment and returned her smile broadly as he came around to the front of the car, leaning against the hood. Wrapping his arm around her small shoulders, he pulled her into him as he tried to rub some warmth back into her arms.

"Kenzi, surviving this week at all entitles you to do whatever the hell you please." He replied with a squeeze. She rolled her eyes, brushing of compliments terribly as usual. He did not like however the how pale her lips had become that that he was able to get a closer look at her. "Ok, that seals it. You are coming with me." He stood, scooping her up as he did. She yelped, taken by surprise but too exhausted to protest. "I'm taking you back to my place, we are getting you cleaned up, and I am going to get some good food into softball sized excuse you have for a stomach."

"Your place huh? Getting kinda forward don't you think Kujo?"

"I convinced Bo to stay here with Trick and Lauren tonight they can keep an eye on her as the rest of that energy drains off, and you are absolutely in no condition to be left alone. Not to mention, your kitchen is terrifying and I don't trust you to eat anything other than that horrid pecan ice cream for dinner. So yes, you are coming home with me." He got her settled into the passenger seat of his car, and sent a text to Hale to let him know that they were well but would not be retuning to the celebration.

They had not been driving more than a few minutes before she was asleep, having pulled his leather jacket up under her chin and propped her feet up on the dash. He ducked quickly into the grocery store to pick up few items for dinner before heading to his loft, the sun well set by the time he pulled into his usual spot. He turned off the ignition and when he turned to wake her up he paused for a moment, taking advantage of this rare stillness to observe her.

He was not able put words to the subtle shift towards Kenzi he felt suffusing his recently restored heart. When they first had met, she had been a bit of annoyance, Bo's ever present human. But the more time he was around Kenzi, the more he witnessed her bravery, her loyalty, the more he had come to respect and even admire her. The fierceness in the way she protected those she loved commanded nothing less that absolute respect from his wolf nature. Kenzi would do anything for those she loved. Even with the constant ridicule she endured from his people, she brushed it off and stood by them anyway.

But now, with everything that had happened, everything she had risked for him...that respect was changing into something that even he was not ready to admit. The implications of what he was starting to feel were more complicated that he was prepared to deal with. Taking a deep calming breath, the scent of her dried blood permeating the car was enough to break his mood and focus on the very real needs of the present. Clearing his mind of complicated thoughts, he ran a calloused finger down the side of her face, gently tickling the sensitive skin behind her ear smiling at the sleepy fidget his ministration caused.

"Kenz...we're here." Those stormy eyes fluttered open reluctantly. She made a pouty grunt at being woken up.

"Dibs on the shower?" She asked sheepishly as she began to fold his jacket across her lap. Dyson laughed as he came around to her side of the car, grabbing the groceries they made their way to his loft in comfortable silence. As they entered he nodded towards the bathroom, tossing his keys on the counter next to the door.

"Go ahead and get cleaned up first. There are some clean sweats in the bottom drawer next to the bed that you can probably make work. I'll get started on dinner."

He had just finished cutting all the vegetables when the surprised cry of pain and loud thud just about made his heart stop. He dropped the knife and sprinted to the bathroom, the sight that confronted him drew him up short. Kenzi's back was towards him, she had fallen hard on her knees to the tile, one arm clutching her side, and the other, modded with dark bruising, was braced against the floor of the basin. Her shoulders were shaking violently despite the thick steam that had already filled the room. Cursing at himself for leaving her alone in the first place, without any thought to her possible protests, he pulled off his shirt and stepped into the shower with her. Gently, he reached down and slipped one arm under hers and high across her chest, wrapping his hand around her opposite shoulder. The other arm he wrapped other across her waist, well clear of the sealed wound low on her hip. He carefully pulled her to her feet and rested her against his chest, taking almost all of the weight off her legs.

His arms wrapped tightly around her, he just held her close as he could as sobs wracked her lithe form. More than anything he wanted to be able to comfort her, but he was unsure of what there was that could be said to ease horrors and pain they had all endured these last few weeks. So instead he just held her as tightly as he dared for as long as she would let him, his thumb tracing slow circles across her belly, slowly learning the horrible ridges of the nasty scar that he knew was painted across her skin. The wound that had almost taken this remarkable human away from them. From him. The intensity of that last thought surprised the shifter, and he was almost glad for distracting twinge in cooler water that told him they needed to get out before it turned much colder.

Extracting the hand from her waist, he reached down and turned off the water, the small whimper of protestation from Kenzi made him smile. She twisted carefully in his arms so that she was tucked against his chest. Trying his best to let Kenzi preserve whatever modesty she wished to claim, he carefully kept his gaze leveled over the top of her head, trying very hard to ignore the growing realization that her naked chest was pressed against his. He reached for the fresh towel she had hung next to the shower and draped it around her shoulders. Her breath still hitching every few lungfuls as she got herself back under control, she rested her cheek against his chest. When she spoke her voice was uncharacteristically unsure.

"Dyson...what is this?" She asked, not able to look at his face, instead focusing on the lights of the city, clouded and obscure through the fogged glass of the bathroom windows. Dyson sighed and wrapped his fingers through the thick damp mass of hair at the base of her slender neck. Resting his chin on the top her head he answered as honestly as he could.

"I don't know Kenz... I don't have it all worked out yet." He could feel her nod and immediately start to pull away from him. He was surprised at how quickly his arms wrapped around her again, pulling her close. "Hey...talk to me." He used a knuckle to gently force her face up too look at him. The loneliness in those blue-grey eyes hurt him more than he thought it ever could.

"I...is complicated. Bo makes it complicated. I make it complicated. I know what people might think about me, with my 'tude, my drinking, my rocking sense of style..." She smiled a bit at the look that solicited from Dyson. "But this..." She gestured to herself. "I know I must pretty much seem like a baby to you, but I've had a lot of stuff happen to me in my life, and it makes it hard for me to...I can't just..." She sighed, frustrated with herself. "You are either all in or not. I can't deal with this fae hippie bed hopping shit. Bo is different I get that, its who she is. But its not who I am. So until you know for sure what you want, who you...I cant..." She took a deep breath steeling herself as she gently pushed away again, her hand resting over his heart. "I just can't." She finished, her voice calm and resolved.

She moved to step out of the the tub and he stood close by, considering her words carefully before he spoke next. Getting her settled on the edge of his bed he quickly stripped out of his soaking jeans and pulled on a dry pair of basketball shorts. Running a towel roughly through the damp mass of his unruly hair, he retrieved a long-sleeve t-shirt and sweatspants for Kenzi from the bottom drawer of his dresser. Seeing how stiffly she was beginning to move, he kneeled down and let her steady herself on his shoulder as she stood up so he could get her pants on. Slipping one foot, then the other into the pant legs, he slid the pants up her toned slim legs under the towel. Taking her words to heart, he tried very hard to ignore her involuntary shiver his thumbs brushing along the sides of her hips elicited from her damp skin, a shiver that had nothing to do with the cool temperature of the room. Letting the towel loosen a bit to give him access to the drawstring, he pulled the considerable slack taunt enough to keep them from falling off the bones of her hips.

For the first time he could finally take a closer look at her wound. He looked up at her, the lines of his face drawn tight.

"May I?" He asked evenly, trying to rein in the very real desires her scent soliciting from his body. She nodded as his one hand steadied her waist while the fingers of his other gently pushed back the curtain of the towel.

Finally seeing the extent of the damage done, he couldn't quite stifle the quiet growl of rage that rose to his lips.

He had been a warrior the balance of his life, and had both inflicted and suffered more injuries than he could even try to remember. But he was Fae, and a furthermore a shifter, whose healing and strength was unmached by most. More than anyone else however, he knew how close she had come to dying today. It had not been that long ago that he had been inside of Kenzi's terrifyingly fragile body. A mere quarter inch further and the beserker's sword could have easily sliced through major internal organs. If it had not been for Lauren's quick thinking, and Hale's amazing control she would have bled out in that horrid little room. And Bo would have...the thought of just how close he had come to losing them both sobered his desires quickly.

He sat back on his heels taking deep measured breaths to calm himself as Kenzi sat back down on the edge of his bed. She reached out to tug the shirt he had pulled out for her off of his shoulder when he he finally got a good look at her arm.

"What happened here? I thought it was a bruise but..." He pulled it in for closer look. Her skin was mottled and red from the back of her hand to her elbow, with deep blue-black bruising that looked almost more like an infected tattoo than battered tissue. Kenzi jerked away quickly, taking the shirt with her. Moving to the far side of his bedroom she turned her back towards him and pulled the shirt over her head, tugging it over the towel.

"Its nothing." She said curtly, pulling the towel out from under the shirt and tossing it onto a nearby chair. "So...what about this dinner you promised me huh?" She said with a smile. Dyson, aggravated by her quick change in demeanor, when her eyes were clearly screaming 'terrified'. He was not having it. He stood and closed the distance between them, and grasped her upper arm tightly. Pushing back the sleeve, he turned her arm so he could examine it in the light of the lamp. The closer he looked at it, he realized that the darkness in her skin was shifting. It was barely perceptible, but his keen eyes were able to discern the motion.

"Kenzi, this is not nothing." He gently pushed the sleeve up to her elbow, his thumb tracing over the skin of her arm. This was not an injury at all, this was fae magic He swallowed, trying to quell the sick feeling that was brewing in his stomach. "The Norn?" He asked, even though he already knew the answer. Kenzi nodded, pulling her arm back as she slid the sleeve back down.

"Yeah." She took a deep shuttering breath she turned towards the kitchen in search of the pain meds that Lauren had given her. "Its not like you think though. I didn't offer her a goddamn thing. It was more an accident than anything else. She had given me the jar of your mojo and was spouting some horrible supervillian revenge fantasies. But as I was backing away, I bumped into a shelf and this jar of black bubbly goo fell off the very top shelf and shattered on the ground. Some of it just splashed up on my hand is all." She unscrewed the bottle of pills and tossed two in her mouth, swallowing with a swig from the now warm beer that Dyson had been working on before her shower drama. "What ever it was she seemed just as surprised as I was, significantly pleased with whatever horrible fate awaits me though. Freaky giddy actually." She looked up at him, but could only muster a half smile. "I'm sure any day now I'm going to turn into some horrible slime monster or something."

"No." The anger in Dyson's voice surprised her as he moved towards the door grabbing his keys. "I'm calling Lauren. We are taking you to the Ash's compound right now and figuring this out." Kenzi shook her head vehemently

"Uh huh." She moved faster than he thought she had the strength too, yanking the keys out of his hand as she interjected herself between him and the door. "One night Dyson. Give them one night. Our world has been a raging shitstorm for the last few months. They deserve one night without crazy fae drama. I've had this for days, it only started to look like this afternoon. Whatever it is is not going to kill me if we wait one more day." She placed the her hand on his chest, and gently pushed him away from the door. "Please Dyson. One night."

"One Kenzi. First thing in the morning we are going do you understand me?" His tone deadly serious. He is hand covered hers on his chest, feeling how fast his heart had been to beat beneath her fingers. The raven hair human nodded quickly.

"Deal."


	2. Chapter 2

Hey all! Here is the second chapter! It may a little bit before I get the next one up, busy week at work coming up. Thanks for all the great reviews!

Disclaimer- I own nothing!

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When Dyson awoke the next morning, the first thing he was aware of was that his loft was flooded with far too much sunlight. He blinked several times, clearing the sleep from his eyes he looked up at his bedside clock.

9:45

His brows lifted in surprise, and shook his head. He never slept in this late. He rolled over and chuckled at the rolled up spare comforter that Kenzi had laid between their perspective sides of the bed, declaring it a "goose down Switzerland" that was still firmly wedged between them. He was surprised to see that she had kicked off all of her covers in the night, somehow managing to ball them up into a pile that she had curled around and snuggled. Her back was toward him, but he could see the slow and even rise and fall of her ribs as she continued to sleep deeply. He smiled, she really _did_ bring out the worst in him.

Pulling himself up into a seated position he rolled his shoulders and neck several times, pleased to see that the majority of the stiffness and pain he had in his back from the fight yesterday had faded away to a dull soreness. Peeling back his own sheets and pulling them over Kenzi's shoulders he stepped out of bed and padded over to the kitchen. As he set the kettle on so he could press some coffee he saw that his phone's message indicator light was flashing. Picking up the handset he saw there were four messages waiting for him.

"_Hey man, its Hale. Thanks for keeping an eye on Kenz, she tries to be too tough. Looks like now that they are not all afraid of dying, the pissing match for new Ash is heating up. Headed over to brainstorm with my Father and Val. Hit me up if you need anything...or just feel like giving me a valid excuse to get away."_

The kettle popped as the water began to boil, and he poured the steaming water over the grounds in the French press. Letting it seep he went on to the next message. It was Bo, a slightly tipsy Bo.

"_Hi Dyson...just wanted to say thanks for looking out for Kenz...Lauren filled me in on what happened, I almost came over to yell at her for not letting me take her to the hospital. But I know you will tell me if she needs anything ok? Its been so nice just to sit down and to talk to Trick, you know really talk to him? So...thanks!"_

He smiled an deleted the message, glad to hear the genuine happiness in her voice. As annoyed as he had been with her about delaying her care, Kenzi may have been right. Bo deserved some downtime. He went on to the next message that was left about an hour after the first, from a now solidly intoxicated Bo.

"_Hey its me again. I realized how totally rude I was, are YOU ok? I know you are super strong, but I seriously thought you might have died for a moment there, and it scared the life out of me. I couldn't have survived without you fighting by my side today or any day before that really. I'm fairly sure this whole fae world would have eaten me alive by now if it hadn't been for you. So...thank you!_

He shook his head, grateful that he had been restored in time for the fight with the Garuda, but it felt nice to be worried about. To know that he was still someone that Bo worried about was not a bad place to be. He pressed the grounds down slowly and went to grab some mugs as he saved the message and went on to the next, about two hours after the last. Did they get ANY sleep over at the Dal? Bo's voice was impressively drunk at this point. And giggly.

"_Hey! Its me again, hadn't heard back, wanted to make sure you to were OK...you are OK right? Cause I worry, but I know how good it is that Kenz looks after you too...sometimes I think that you and Kenzz might be...I dun know. She is just so tiny and squishy and awesome, and your so grrrr and awesome, there is definite awesomeness goi..." _The distinctive rustle sound of a phone being taken away broke her off mid-sentence, and the voice of an equally intoxicated Lauren could be heard. _"Bo! Drunk dialing wolves is BAD! Phone is going awaaaay now..." _Dyson could hear Trick laughing just as the call disconnected. Click.

He laughed and decided to save that one too. Pouring the coffee, he took a guess on how his guest liked it mixing in a healthy dollop of sugar and milk. Taking the mugs over to Kenzi's side of the bed, he set his down on the floor next to him he rested the other mug just a few inches away from the sleeping Kenzi's nose. He smiled watching the minute twitches of her nose as it recognized the scent and began pulling her from the depths of her dreams. Legs that had been curled around the mass of sheets slowly unfurled, stretching out from hip to pointed toe. He noted the extreme flexibility in her feet and ankles as she stretched, wondering if she had ever been a dancer. It reminded him how little he actually knew about her past. It also made him realize how much he wanted to know everything.

"Coffee in bed?" She asked as she inhaled deeply, a content smile spread across her face even though she still was refusing to open her eyes. "Forget what I said last night. Lets get married and have lots of cute puppies." She opened one eye, and he could see that a good night sleep had help her recover a fair amount of her impish attitude. He laughed.

"I have a feeling you are not going to feel that way about me after I make sure we get to your 10:30 appointment with Lauren at the lab." Immediately, Kenzi closed her eye and made a face at him. Pouting, she opened both eyes and pushed herself up on one elbow.

"Way to ruin what was a perfect morning there D-Man." She gave him a exasperated look and leaned forward like she was going to take the mug from him, when a confused look spread across her face. "What the...ugh." She wiggled her right shoulder a little, and a pouty look crossed her face as her arm refused to respond to her commands. "My arm is asleep, give me a sec, I will happily take that delicious nectar off your hand."

Dyson's smile faded a bit as he set both mugs on the bedside table and rose to kneel by the bed.

"Here." He took her arm in between his hands and began to rub vigorously, trying to get nerves to remember their job. Kenzi, clearly annoyed at the lack of coffee in her hand made a face, pulling all of her bedraggled hair away from her face and over her opposite shoulder, leaning her neck to one side to give him better access.

Dyson's hands stopped.

"Fuck." Without any warning he yanked the collar of the shirt she wore down over her shoulder.

Irritated more than upset, Kenzi picked her head up and turned to look at her apparently offending shoulder, she was about to protest when she caught a look at what he had seen.

"Oh...Fuck."

What last night had been a diffuse bruising from hand to elbow had changed drastically in the night. Condensing into thick, midnight black veins, it now had moved up from her hand to her shoulder, several tendrils had begun to creep upwards, beyond her ability to see herself. With her heart slamming against her ribs, and the beginnings of hyper-ventelation in the pace of her breathing, her opposite hand reached up to her throat. It had begun to climb, just an inch above her clavicle.

Now Kenzi had been through a lot in her short life, and typically prided herself on her impressive bravado, false or not. But in this particular moment she was not afraid to admit that she completely lost her shit.

So much so that she was not entirely sure how it happened that Dyson could move as fast as he did. She was not aware of anything except his hands and wordless reassirances as they carried her at a dead run to his car. His voice, speaking words of kindness and reassurance to her, alternated to yelling intelligible things into his phone as they traveled at what would have been a deadly speed if not for his fae reflexes testing the handling of his vehicle. The fae guard that gave a moments worth of protest to Dyson trying to bring her across the threshold to medical wing of the Ash's compound may never get the dent out of his face.

It was not until he sat her down on one of the gurneys, his large calloused hands applying reassuring pressure on either side of her face did her mind begin to come back into focus. The intensity of his eyes and roughness of his hands bringing her down slowly out of her panic, grounding her. Lost inside her fear he began to take deep deliberate slow breaths that she found herself mimicking unbidden. And after a few moments, she could think again.

Breathing deeply, her eyes focused finally on his. He allowed himself a ghost of a smile.

"Hey...you back with me?" He asked his voice whisper soft. Kenzi's good hand went to grasp his wrist tightly, not breaking eye contact. She took one more deep shaking breath, then nodded.

"Yeah...I think so." She looked sheepish. "Sorry, kind of lost it there." He stood, one hand not leaving her face, thumb brushing a lingering tear off her cheek.

"Don't apologize. Kenzi you gotta believe that you are going to be OK. Alright?" A deep sadness settled in her eyes, and his heart broke a little as she gave him only the weakest of smiles.

"I believe that you guys will try your best."

He was about to rebuke her attitude when the not insignificant commotion caused by the lab's principle officer, the Blood King, and a very irate, worried, succubus charged into the lab, breaking the moment.

"Kenzi!" Bo charged to her best friend's side, her face drawn tight with worry. Dyson stepped aside and watched as Bo crushed Kenzi in a tight hug, the small human returning it the best she could with her one functioning arm. Having assured herself that Kenzi was still well enough to speak and situp she grasped her tightly by both shoulders, the big sister tone unmistakable.

"A chainsaw Kenzi? Really?"

Despite everything, Kenzi laughed.

"At the time, it seemed like a good idea." She looked up at Dyson. "Wow, I really did space out there, you told them everything on the way over?" He nodded. At that moment Lauren reappeared in her lab coat, with a stethoscope around her neck and a neatly folded pile of scrubs in her hands.

"Ok. Menfolk, out." She ordered, her voice calm and serious. While amongst the fae she may be treated as a second class citizen, in this lab, she was in charge. One of her assistants ushered Dyson and Trick away with a surprising amount of grace, pulling a large screen across to give them some privacy.

Setting the stack of clothes down next to her, the lovely blonde gave a reassuring smile.

"We are going to get to the bottom of this, but I to have a clear picture of your symptoms. I know you don't like to worry your friends, but I need you to be absolutely honest with me about what you are experiencing. Can you do that with Bo here, or do you need her to leave?" Lauren asked sincerely, as she rubbed the metal of her scope briskly across her palm to warm it up, ignoring the indignant look her lover gave her at the suggestion she could be kicked out.

Kenzi looked at Bo for a long moment, as if making some sort of deal with herself regarding the succubus. "No, I want her to stay. Honest Abe out of me. I swear." Bo smiled, and touched her forehead to Kenzi's grateful to not have to be too far away when her best friend was in such danger.

Lauren nodded and let the matter drop with that. "Ok, I need you to remove that shirt so I can have an unobstructed look at your arm. There is a sports bra in that pile. So bottoms and that will be ideal. There is a blanket there under that table to keep you from getting too cold. Maureen," she looked at her assistant, and older Fae woman who's black hair had a subtle blue shimmer to it, "could you prep a blood draw for a CBC and Chem7, and I'll grab the portable ultrasound." With that they both scurried off for a moment, leaving the two best friends alone. Without speaking, Bo helped Kenzi get into her scrub pants. It wasn't until she helped Kenzi pull off her shirt, that she gasped.

"Oh Kenz..." Her pained voice was whisper soft as she saw both the jagged bruised scar tissue that marred most of her lower abdomen, and her arm which hung useless at her side, black veins crisscrossed over Kenzi's pale skin. Unbidden, she found her eyes fill with tears. She took a moment to run her fingers over the horrible scar that her friend would have to keep forever because she wouldn't leave when Bo pleaded with her to do so.

She was both furious and heartbroken at the same time. Biting back a not insignificant lecture she had running through her head, she gently helped Kenzi get the sports bra on when Lauren and Maureen returned. Lauren remained impressively professional at her first encounter with Kenzi's arm.

Now that Kenzi was decent again, Maureen moved the screen aside to give them better access to the various diagnostic equipment as she dutifully followed Lauren's every request with out any hint of annoyance or irritation at being asked to care for a human. For the better part of a half an hour, Lauren moved effortlessly through her exam, her calm clinical demeanor reassuring as she gathered as much data as she could to aid in her diagnosis and possible treatment. Meanwhile, Dyson and Trick sat on a bench against a wall, deep in discussion when a loud crowd of aristocratic looking Fae came charging into the lab.

The massive group of clearly agitated individuals appeared to still be in the midst of an argument. An argument that was likely responsible for the impressive array of minor scrapes, abrasions and burns as well as singed and torn clothing. Hale, who was at the forefront of the group, was clearly trying to calm them down, looking however like he would rather siren scream someone into shards. He at least was unscathed. Val who clearly been trying to round up the rear of the group of 20 or so Fae had worked her way around to stand side by side with her brother. Clearly just as agitated as her brother, she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and promptly stole every single voice that was yelling.

Kenzi smirked.

"I take back everything mean I ever said about Val." Bo laughed, as Trick and Dyson rose to stand beside Hale and Val.

"What on earth is this all about.?" Dyson asked as the crowd, now clearly unified over their anger at Hale and Val rather than themselves started wagging fingers at her ineffectually. Hale snorted, looking exhausted and more agitated than any of them had ever seen. He gestured with mild disgust at the group.

"Meet the post-Garudapocalypse committee of Ash wannabies. Disintegrated into hair pulling about 5 minutes ago. "

"Ah." Was Trick's only sage contribution, which was rewarded by quite a look from Hale. Val turned to the group, and addressed them with her typically impressive attitude.

"Are we done? No one is getting their voices back until you all take it down a few notches." A tense minute passed, but the group physically calmed without their voices to fuel the fire. With a irritated swipe of her arm, Val returned their voices.

One of the Fae in the group, a sharply dressed man with really great hair and what looked to be a fantastic shiner forming on his eyes pointed at Lauren, who had already returned to her task of finishing Kenzi's exam, his voice sharp and annoyed.

"You! Stop fussing over that pathetic human pet. We have injured members of the high clans that require medical care."

No one was actually sure what happened next.

In the space of a breath, the offensive fae was dangling an inch off the ground in the vice-like grip, of Kenzi.

Her eyes had changed to a deep blood red, her formally useless arm holding the man up in the air with no sign of distress or fatigue. The vein-like markings spreading tendrils to wrap around the ribs of her right side and upper chest.

When she spoke, her voice was clearly no longer just her own. Something dark echoing beneath the familiar timber of her voice.

"Pathetic?" Kenzi asked, her head tilting to the side as she regarded the rude fae, her eyes distant as if she were examining a bug on her shoe. "Listen very carefully, you pompous son of a underfae bitch. All of you better listen up." She leveled her gaze on the group that was already backing towards the doors. "This planet is filled with 6 BILLION human beings. We are brilliant and sneaky. We have delicious things like guns and powertools, and complete disregard for authority. We don't give a rats ass about all of your useless rules. They don't apply, go ask the Norn. So you all better think long and hard about how this high and mighty attitude is going to work out when the world finds out you exist. Do you really think humans will do anything less that destroy every single one of you?" She smiled, but it was not a Kenzi smile, warm and mischievous. It was something else, filled with the promise of blood and hate, chaos dancing in her eyes.

She dropped the horrified Fae on his ass, as he and the crowd fled the room.

Turning to face her friends, her gaze leveled on those trusted but horrified faces. And just like that, what ever had possessed her was gone.

Her eyes returned to their beautiful blue-grey orbs, filled with pain and confusion.

Her body hit the floor.


	3. Chapter 3

Here is the next chapter! I seem to be unable to write short fics, as my ideas for where I want to take this story keep evolving. Enjoy and please review!

Disclaimer: I own none of these awesome characters! Merely borrowing them for my imagination's whim!

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Little more than an hour later the group, still somewhat in shock, loitered about the lab anxiously as Lauren's furiously poured over the images on her computer screen. Bo sat a few feet away, trying to give her space to work without hovering overmuch. Kenzi's earlier outburst had done a sufficient job of clearing out the majority of the Ash's compound for the moment, but they were all trying not to think about the implications, assuming she survived this, of her assault on one of the older families. For now though, they focused on trying to save her.

Dyson sat on a rolling stool next to Kenzi's bedside, holding one of her hands in his own, his thumb rubbing along the ridges of a callus he had found, her sword hand. His mind was trying to reconcile the small, fragile boned hand he held in his own and the amazing deeds she continually managed to achieve. Dragging his body, near death through a sewer, taking a chainsaw to the Norn's sacred tree, to save his soul, and now...so frighteningly still. Lauren had momentarily suggested soft restraints until they knew who or what was in control of Kenzi when she woke up, but Dyson and Bo had adamantly refused.

He took a deep breath trying to shake the image of Kenzi's beautiful face twisted into such a mask of hate and disgust. He hid the myrad of emotions rolling beneath the surface as he took in the various wires his small friend was hooked up too, monitoring who knows what. His incredible hearing focused on the sound of her heartbeat. If he listened to only that, if but for a moment, he could pretend that she was alright. That this amazing woman who had somehow come to mean so much, was not lying in a medical ward fighting for her life.

Lauren, calm and collected as always had remained focused in the moments following Kenzi's episode. After ensuring that she was resting comfortably, with the help of a strong sedative, she had set to work compiling all the data currently available to her.

Finally, she took a deep breath and pushed away from the laptop, squeezing the bridge of her nose, the sharp wince of her eyes reminding Bo that Lauren did not have the benefit of her fast fae metabolism and must be suffering from a horrible hangover. But she hadn't said a word about it from the moment she had been awoken by panicked Bo after Dyson's call.

Maureen appeared quietly setting a small paper cup with several pills down in front of the blonde, along with a bottle of water. Lauren smiled at the older woman and nodded her thanks. Taking the pills, and a long swig of the water she stood up and approached Kenzi's bedside, now that she was not gathering her thoughts, a look of deep concern and worry began to settle on her lovely face.

"As terrifying as that earlier episode was, I am immensely grateful for it." Hale snorted his skepticism, but Dyson stilled him with a hard look. Lauren continued. "Without it, I would still be thinking this was some kind of poison or infection." Bo walked up beside her and squeezed her hand, as she brushed back hair from Kenzi's still face.

"What do think is happening to her?" Bo asked.

"From what she described earlier, when she went to confront the Norn she was exposed to a sealed oil or residue that came in contact with her skin. It was Maureen actually who first suggested it, she could smell that it was not a disease that was changing Kenzi's dermal tissues." She paused seeing their confused looks. "She is an Aswang, so there could be no one better to know what is or is not human disease that quickly." They nodded remembering the foot incident.

"The area that had come in contact with the substance had been no more than a skin irritation, until our fight with the Garuda. Whether it was how much her injury weakened her, or exposure to that much energy when the Garuda died, a combination of the two most likely, that allowed it to begin to spread so quickly."

"It?" Dyson asked, his voice taking on a frightening timber. Lauren nodded. Stepping over to one of the many machine's Kenzi was hooked up to.

"Yes." She pointed to a screen that was recording an ongoing series of peaks. "The is an EEG, it measures a patient's brain activity. These peaks here are Kenzi's brain, normal activity for someone sedated. This..." She said, her voice changing to a harder tone. "Should not be here. This is something else. Dormant for the moment, but present, lying underneath of Kenzi's consciousness. I would bet anything that during Kenzi's earlier outburst, this signal reading as an active consciousness, if not the primary, surpassing her waking mind. Which is why that arm worked all of a sudden. Kenzi was upset, and felt threatened, so it responded, it its own way trying to protect her."

"Protect her?" Bo asked tracing the black veins that had begun to creep up Kenzi's cheek. "So this won't want to hurt her?" Lauren's eyes were apologetic that she was misunderstood, giving false hope.

"I don't think it is protecting her to keep _her_, Kenzi, safe, but her body. Until it has finished. The tissues, and muscle structure, even the nerves of her arm, shoulder and a quarter of her chest have already begun to change, convert."

Dyson growled, the metal bars of Kenzi's bed compressing and bending under the strength of his anger.

"How about we all stop standing around and get this thing out of her. There must be someway to extract it..."

Trick, who had been uncharacteristically quiet this whole time finally spoke, his hand, so small next to Dyson came to rest on his friend's arm, his voice was sorrowful. "This is not something that can be fixed, Dyson." The stiffness in the Blood King's movements as he stepped closer to the young human made him seem his age for the first time Dyson had ever seen. His fingers traced the dark markings of Kenzi's arm. "I remember..."

He paused, lost in thought for a moment as he tried to recall a memory from deep in his past. "The fae like to think that we are the oldest beings, but that simply is not true. I remember in my youth, a human village not far from my family's keep...a young man, woodsman, had become incredibly ill after discovering a strange stone deep inside on of his hunting dens, a cave deep into the forest."

"At first, it was just his mood that changed. He became cruel and capricious, but then...I remember the day when my father and I went down to the village to trade..." His eyes squeezed shut as if he was trying to recall the memory without the images that it brought with it. "The village..they were dead. Everyone, he had killed them all..." His eyes closed and he rested his cheek in the palm of Kenzi's hand, hating how cold and stone-like it had become.

"In the end it took the deaths of fourteen fae. Fourteen good men and women, and terrible magiks to stop the creature. Even then all we could to was trap it back inside a lodestone." He set Kenzi's hand back down on the bed and began to rub it gently, as if trying to restore some warmth to the limb.

"The Norn must have had just such a terrible thing amongst her collection. Even trapped and dormant, it would be a potent essence to have at one's command." His face had drawn into a tight angry line, as if he had resolved himself to some terrible acceptance. looked up at the frightened face of his beloved Granddaugter. "I'm so sorry Bo, this is not something we save Kenzi from. It has gone too far for that. All of the hate and energy from the Garuda accelerated this far past our ability to intercede. The best chance we have is now, while it is weak..."

Enraged, Dyson pushed the Blood King back several steps, physically standing between his friend and Kenzi's prone form, understanding all to quickly the implication of Trick's words. "Trick, I respect you more than any leader I have ever served. But I swear to you, If you touch her..."

"Wait..." Bo interjected as she grasped the meaning herself. "Now hold on a minute Trick. We haven't tried anything yet, how can you give up on her so quickly!" She was beginning to echo Dyson's anger, her eyes showing a ghost of blue energy.

"Don't you think I wouldn't do everything I could if I thought there was a way?" Trick's voice was angry, furious at his helplessness against the situation they were in.

"This is nothing less than a demon Bo, a true demon from ancient times, becoming manifest before our very eyes! There is no potion or spell that can just make this go away! That boy, that poor human...there was nothing left but dust when we finally trapped the demon inside that stone. With as far as this has spread...Lauren am I wrong?" He entreated, looking at the Human doctor.

Lauren took a moment, conducting a quick survey of Kenzi's vitals. Placing her stethoscope on Kenzi's chest she listened to her heart. She looked up at Trick and shook her head.

"The rhythm of her heart has been compromised, as is the entirety or her right lung. At this speed, she has maybe 2-3 hours. Even if we somehow manage to extract this thing, too many of her organs have been damaged. Even if Bo gave her all the Chi she could, it would not repair the tissue damage, her physiology is not designed to heal like that." Lauren's voice cracked under the weight of her own diagnosis, unable to maintain any sense of professional decorum as she choked back despair. All her knowledge and training, every hour she had ever spent in a lab could do nothing now to save Kenzi's life. To save the sister of the woman she loved. "Bo...I'm sorry, but she just wouldn't survive."

The room stilled with Lauren's words. This unlikely group of fae and humans who had just been through so much had truly believed that had made it through the crucible unscathed. Each of them truly began to understand the heavy cost of defying such terrible evil. That the balance of that debt could be paid by someone so full of life as Kenzi was more than they could understand. That they had lost a battle before they could even understand what they were fighting...

"No." Dyson's voice, barely audible broke the silence.

With a mournful howl, his chest heaving with rage, Dyson overturned the nearest desk, equipment shattering as it crashed to the floor. He stalked towards the lab's doors eyes golden with a purpose that only Trick guessed at.

Moving faster than any of them realized he was capable of, the Blood King stood fearlessly in the threshold of the lab, blocking Dyson's way.

"Nothing good has ever come from going to see her. What do you think it will accomplish now?"

Dyson drew up short, his body shaking slightly as he tried maintain human form.

"I don't care if I have to snap every branch of that witch's cursed tree, she will make this right. I don't care how many of our rules I have to break. Do you think Kenzi would do anything less if it were one of us on that bed? This happened _because_ she refused to accept that my heart was lost. Even when I had given up on myself."

"How many human lifetimes have we lived. you and I? How many years have passed as we watched as our own people, a folk who were the stuff of human legend and myth and horror wither away into soft, quibbling, fools? Today I watched a tiny human being, a crazy, beautiful, incredible human, make me feel ashamed of my own kind. Possessed or not, not a single word she uttered was untrue. So if the cost of obeying the rules means watching someone like her die, possibly at our hands, then it is a cost I will not pay."

"Now get out of my way. Please my friend. I will not ask twice."

Trick was not the sort of man who frightened easily. He waited a moment longer, eyes searching those of his enraged friend. The Wolf's words resonating more than he, someone so proud of the heritage of his people, was willing to admit. He was right. Kenzi would never stop trying to help her friends, even if it was impossible. Even if all odds and logic spelled failure.

If she belived in them that much, who was he to be anything less?

A moment and a breath passed, and the Blood King stepped aside.


	4. Chapter 4

Note: I had a nice long 6 hour layover on a recent flight with nothing to do but settle into a quiet corner and write! I hope you enjoy this chapter, please let know what you think! I'm excited about getting into the next chapter as well.

Shortly after Dyson, Trick and Hale had departed on their desperate missions, Maureen had pulled an empty bed alongside of Kenzi's, tying the two tightly together with a spare sheet and stuffing the gap with pillows so that Bo could comfortably be closer to Kenzi. Truly touched by her kindness, Bo pulled her boots off and climbed into makeshift bed determined to do whatever she could to let Kenzi know that she was not alone.

Despite remaining sedated to keep her calm, hopefully buying them as much time as possible, Lauren insisted that the more Bo kept talking, the more active Kenzi's mind remained. So Bo did just that, talking about anything and everything she could think of. The conversation moving from the mundane things like groceries, to Bo lecturing Kenzi for scaring her so much. Bo even conceded to Kenzi's wish to get a cat, reminding her that Dyson was staunchly against the idea.

Having exhausted every option she could think of to give Kenzi more time, Lauren eventually sat down on the stool on the other side of Kenzi's bed, not being able to help herself, she made a small adjustment to the IV in her arm, making sure the medical tape was not pinching her skin.

"They should be back soon." Lauren offered, taking in Bo's red-rimmed eyes as the brunette nodded tucking a lock of hair behind Kenzi's ear. Dyson had gone to confront the Norn, and Trick and Hale to the Dal to gather supplies to trap the demon should he fail. Bo took a deep shuttering breath, and ran a finger along the exposed underside of Kenzi's collarbone, fingers absently brushing along a series of near invisible scars, small and circular that peppered the skin under the succubus' fingers.

"It would have been so easy for Kenzi to become a horrible person. The things happened to her, that were done to her. The things she had to do to survive. It would have been so easy to let it change her, to be what the world expects from someone like her." Bo rested her head on Kenzi's shoulder, looking across at Lauren as she took deep breaths of her friend's familiar scent. "I wouldn't have survived this without her Lauren. When I met Kenzi, for the first time in my life I had met someone who got me, really and truly got every twisty dark corner of me an was not afraid. Who accepted that part of me for the first time in my whole life. I..." She swallowed hard, body shaking as she buried her face in Kenzi's neck squeezing the prone form desperately. Lauren leaned over and cupped Bo's face, making soft sounds of love and reassurance as Bo finally allowed herself to face the idea that they may loose Kenzi.

A choked gasp of air startled both women as one of the machines began beeping wildly. Lauren jumped to her feet as she turned the monitor so she could read it clearly. She took a note of the reading and turned off the alarm.

"She is going bradycardic. Her heart is starting to fail Bo, we don't have much time." She said gently. Bo shook her head sharply.

"No, I'm not ready yet, we need more time." She pushed herself to her hands and knees as she moved to straddle her friend. Grasping the sides of Kenzi's face she began to desperately began to breathe chi into her. At first Kenzi's heart began to beat stronger, but then within moments, the deep black lines etched in her flesh began to inch forward, siphoning off the strength Bo was giving for itself. Bo screamed her frustration, slamming her hands down on either side of Kenzi's head.

"Get out of her you fucking coward! Get out!"

Dyson, having returned and hearing Bo's distress, appeared at her side at a run.

"What's happening?" He asked as he looked from monitor to monitor trying to assess the situation.

"Her heartbeat is dangerously slow. Bo tried to give her some of her chi to boost her strength, but the creature only absorbed it. This is all new territory for me, but from what I have seen, it seems that the creature would not allow her heart to stop unless it was able to take over primary control..." She and Bo realized now that Dyson had returned, decidedly short one Norn, their hearts sank. Dyson offered Bo his hand as she climbed down from the bed to stand beside Lauren.

"The Norn?" She asked quietly squeezing his forearm tightly. Dyson shook his head, his skin ashen and drawn, looking more defeated than she had ever seen him. He stepped beside Kenzi. running his hand behind her ear, his fingers rested at the nape of her neck as his thumb brushed gently across her cheek.

"Gone. Not a single leaf or speck of moss remains of the tree either. As far as I can tell she has been gone for days, no one saw her leave." He leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on Kenzi's brow. "I failed."

He straightened, and looked up at the clock.

"Where are Trick and Hale?"

"They went to the Dal to collect several of the items Trick said he would need to trap the demon." Lauren offered solemnly, making note of several of the readings on the monitors on Kenzi's chart. Bo slammed her fist on the edge of the bed.

"This is absurd. Three hours ago, she was fine, and now we are talking about killing her? This is absolutely fucking absurd. There _has_ to be something we can do, we just need more time to figure it ou..." She paused mid-sentence, eyes widening as a thought came to her. "Nadia! Can we suspend her like Nadia was? Stop it for a while to give us more time to find another solution?" She asked, daring to allow hope to venture into the timber of her voice. Lauren paused for moment, considering the succubus' suggestion. A moment passed, and she shook her head in the negative.

"I'm sorry Bo, but no. That won't work. What was happening to Nadia was biological, that same toxin was also affected by the stasis. What us happening to Kenzi...its more than science has the power to stop."

Dyson had turned his back towards them, his fingers tracing along the soft flesh of Kenzi's face, a single tapered line of the demon's assent marring the beautiful flesh that he longed to see smile at him once more. He would even settle for her giving him shit like she always did. Anything other than this horrible stillness. He closed his eyes tightly, willing his fingers to remember the feeling on her skin beneath them. He swallowed hard as emotions threatened to overwhelm him, his chest clenching painfully as he did something that he had not done in a great long while. He began to pray.

_Please Great Mother, I beg you. I know she not one of your children, but I owe her all that I am. Please, tell me what to do. I seek your wisdom, not for myself, but for her. I don't know what to do. _He closed his eyes, toning out the intense discussion between Bo and Lauren behind him as he concentrated on the part of him that always was connected to the wind and the wild. A a great silence washed over him, waves of warmth and ancient wisdom filling the space inside of him that his despair had hollowed out as he once again felt the grace of the Wolf spirit within him, the presence comforting and calm.

_Peace my son...do not despair. Your heart thrives because of this child of Gaia, it is such a thing I have not seen in a very long time, not since your pack brother Muldun. The darkness which claims her cannot be allowed to walk upon the world again. So I will aid you however I can. Seek out the mad Fossegrim that waits below your feet, his magic can give you the time you need. But heed Muldun's wisdom, your love for this girl, it may yet be strong enough to keep her safe. And remember, the Norn is but one of many. Her Elder Sister's roots may be deep and still, but remain a boon to this world...seek her..._

With a suddenness that left him doubled over, her grace left him, his chest heaving with the weight of her words as his mind churned a million miles an hour trying to make sense of what she had told him. He could feel Lauren and Bo's hands pulling at him, pushing him down into a seat, their words falling past his ears as he gathered his thoughts, worry painted on their exhausted faces. _Muldun...his love Brianne..._

A deep hearty laugh erupted from him then, for the first time the refreshing taste of hope filled him, a smile breaking across his face.

"That ancient mad She Wolf! She is just as reckless as her wayward children!" He stood up with a chuckle, and before either Bo or Lauren could stop him, removed Kenzi's IV line, hand grasping tightly on the small well of blood that blossomed on her skin. He began to pull the EEG leads when Bo's hand, surprisingly strong, grasped his wrist tightly, her confused, beautiful face coming into full view as she forced him to confront her squarely.

"Earth to Dyson." His hand stilled and he focused on her. She nodded. "Thank you. Ok, now what is going on?" He smiled and grasped the side of her head, taking in the lovely lines of her face that were still so dear to him, and perhaps always would be. These two crazy women, would likely be the death of him. But not, thankfully, today.

"I know how to buy us the time we need, and possibly how to get help." He turned to the guard that stood at the edge of the entrance to the lab. He knew him, a good fae who had served the house of the Ash faithfully for many many years. "William. Go to cells, open the Fossegrim's pool." The fae visibly paled, but heeded his command, sensing the urgency, he left at a run. Lauren's face hardened, her sharp mind already caught up with Dyson's intent.

She grabbed his arm roughly, voice steel. "It is a brilliant idea, I'll give you that, but it won't work. If you do this, it won't matter if they somehow manage to get that thing out of her, she will be lost to us anyway! Don't you remember what happened to the last human who came in contact with that thing?" Dyson shook her his head sharply, noticing that Kenzi was already beginning to wake up, as the sedative burned out over her system quickly.

"Someone tell me what the hell is going on!" Bo demanded. Dyson grabbed a long gauze bandage and a scalpel, putting them into a pocket of his leather jacket. He grasped Bo tightly by both shoulders, and took a deep breath to calm himself.

"There is a very old fae whom the Ash has kept segregated from both humans and other fae for many many years. He is a water fae that feeds of the dreams and memories of his prey, keeping them preserved, nearly outside the touch of even time while he feeds on them. The waters of that pool are an extension of him. The only real problem is that he is insane. Who knows, possibly he absorbed the memories of too many broken souls. The waters can give us the time you will need to seek out help for Kenzi. Even this demon is at the mercy of time, and keeping Kenzi inside the pool will give you all the time you will need." He squeezed her arms tightly once more and turned to pick Kenzi off the gurney.

Now that she had begun to awake, they likely only had minutes before the demon to could take control. He began to run with her cluched tightly in his arms out of the lab, Lauren and Bo fast on his heels.

"Dyson, you know as well as I do, that the human mind cannot survive prolonged exposure to the Fossegrim! Our minds are designed to understand time in the linear, mortal way our lives progress. Without a lodestone, she will be lost, madness is the best any mortal has achieved after exposure to those waters!" Dyson skidded to a halt in front of the elevator, kicking the down button. He turned to face the doctor, both grateful and annoyed for her expertise in the ways of his people.

"I know that Lauren. That's why I'm going in with her. Shifters are able to establish strong telepathic links with those close to us, that is how we communicate in our animal forms. I am going to tie my mind to hers and stay with her. If I can provide the framework for the dreamscape the Fossegrim will drag us into, it will keep her mind safe. Even though a day passes in the real world, without bounds, thousands of years could pass for her without me. I swear I will do everything in my power to keep her safe."

The elevator dinged, and they piled in quickly. Lauren and Dyson stared hard at each other for what seemed like forever, the two strong willed beings finally coming to some agreement between them, she smashed the B14 button on the elevator with her fist, swiping the her codecard on the reader. The elevator began to descend.

"Lets say for a moment I have a solid understanding of what you are suggesting. This is all for nothing if we don't have a way to get that thing out of her." Bo commented, frustrated at how utterly helpless she was feeling.

"Back in the lab, the Wolf spirit reminded me of a very fundamental truth, something that I had forgotten a long time ago. The Norn its not her name Bo, but her species, like Shifters or Succubi. She told me to seek out the oldest norn, the Elder Sister, she called her. That this being was still here on earth, that she slumbers, but if woken could, would likley aid us. I know that is not much to go on, but it is the only hope we have of stopping this monster and saving Kenzi. I will keep her safe for as long as I can Bo, but we will need you to do the rest. To save both of us."

"Oh is that all?" She asked in the indignant tone that only she, and perhaps Kenzi, was capable of. Even though she looked a bit green, he knew she would stop at nothing to make it happen. He knew how much that Kenzi meant to her, and he dared to hope in how much she still cared for him.

The succubus laughed, shaking her head at the absurdity of the situation, but her eyes were resolute and surprisingly, full of love. The elevator dinged and they all stepped out, making their way to where William stood nervously, a series of thick metal barred doors had been opened. The faint sound of music could be heard, both haunting and beautiful, but noone could tell definitively where it was emanating from. As they stepped into the cell, it was quite the site to behold.

More of a cavern than a traditional cell, the room was easily half the size of Lauren's lab, the walls quickly consumed at the entrance by ancient stones, transforming the cool concrete into a stone cavern several feet of the steel door that enclosed the structure. Within 10 feet of the entrance of the room, the floor began to slope downwards into the black waters of the Fossegrim's pool. It must be another twenty feet to the rear of the cavern, a small island in the center, only inches above the still waters of the pool.

The further they stepped inside, the louder the music became, its song enticing them to come closer still. Lauren sat down on a stone bench just inside the door, resisting the pull of the music making her dizzy. Dyson, understanding her difficulty instantly nodded gently laying Kenzi down on the same bench, pillowing her head on Lauren's lap.

Pulling the scalpel and bandage from his pocket, he shed his coat, vest and shirt quickly laying them on the ground as he knelt next to Kenzi. Brushing his fingers over her forehead, he pushed her hair back from her face, as those beautiful eyes began to flutter open. His heart clenched in fear, when he saw that one of her iris' had begun to darken to red. But when she spoke, it was Kenzi who was with them still.

"Nekkid in my presence again D-man? Keep this up and I'm going to start questioning your honor." Her voice was ragged and raw, but it was her. They all allowed themselves a small laugh. Settling on his knees he smiled, weaving his hand into her hair as he memorized the lines of her face, already disciplining his mind for the insanity he was about to attempt next. He focused on everything that he loved about her, everything they had been through together.

Everything that he wanted to save.

"Kenzi, you know how much trouble you are in yes?" He asked gently, and she nodded slowly as she took a painful breath.

"I can feel her inside of me. Pushing, tearing...she wants so badly for me to just give in...but..." Her voice was so small and afraid. Bo grasped her hand tightly whispering support as Dyson moved closer.

"Shhhhh." He placed near frantic kisses on her brow and cheeks, whisper soft. "I know. I know. I'm going to try something to buy us some time, but its crazy. Like Kenzi with a chainsaw crazy. For it to work, I need you to trust me though. Trust me with everything you have left Kenzi. What we talked about before back at my place...you were right. I wasn't ready to give you an answer then. But I know know the answer now. I know my choice, and I can't loose you, you insane little human." He swallowed hard as she struggled to draw another ragged breath, a wealth of emotion choking her throat. As a tear spilled out of her blue-grey eye and he leaned forward, kissing it away, tasting the salt of her fears and hopes on his tongue.

She nodded.

"I trust you."

Without a further word he took the folded bandage and pressed it to his forehead, whispering a litany of words and phrases in ancient Gaelic. Taking the scalpel he cut a thin line along the center of his palm and pressed one end of the bandage to it. Taking Kenzi's hand, he paused and looked into her eyes for permission before continuing. She nodded once and with as much kindness as was possible cut her palm as well. Pressing his own wounded hand to hers, he wrapped their hands together with the bandage, speaking so soft and with such devotion that it sounded like a prayer. He paused, switching to English he turned to Bo.

"You are her sister, her family. Do you trust me to care and protect her as long as breath moves through my lungs?" He asked, his voice deadly serious.

Bo stared long and hard at this man who had been so many things to her, not all of them kind at times. But there was a look in his eyes now, a promise that she had seen fleeting so many times as they laid together in the darkness. It was there now, manifest and absolute. Not for her, but for Kenzi. Dyson loved Kenzi. It was so simple, she couldn't believe she had not seen it before. She would have thought she would have been jealous, but looking to Lauren, her beautiful, brilliant doctor, who was her true foil, as Kenzi was to Dyson, she found that she was filled with nothing but happiness.

"I do."

He nodded, his eyes whispering his gratitude. Turning his gaze to Kenzi once again, he whispered a single phrase in Gaelic, his voice gentle and full of dedication.

Leaning in once again, their bound hands pressed between their pounding hearts, he pressed his lips to hers.

Even so near death, Kenzi could not help but respond to his kiss. She pushed up on her good elbow, as his other hand wrapped behind her back, pulling her close, crushing her against him. Every ounce of what she had left she gave to him in that moment. The kiss was fierce and desperate, but so full of promise.

Deep inside of her, she could feel a strength spark and begin to burn brightly. It was something wild and fierce entwining its strength with her dwindling spirit, the presence so familiar, crazy brave and loyal. With a enraged howl at the presence creeping deep inside of her mind knew at once what had happened. She laughed, unable help herself. Her eyes opened and she saw Dyson, perhaps truly for the first time, as his true self. She blinked.

"Hey there wolf man." She said softly with a smile. Dyson returned the smile, knowing in his heart that the connection was true, and he would be able to keep her safe until Bo could find this Elder Sister.

"Hello there crazy human." He replied. Quickly unwrapping their hands, he helped Kenzi to her feet. His arm wrapped around her waist, holding her against his side to help keep her upright. He turned to look at Bo.

"If he manifests fully, you may not be able to resist, so please, lock yourselves on the other side of the gates. William take the key and get to the surface as soon as the door closes." He paused seeing the real fear in her eyes. This could possibly be the last time they saw eachother. He pulled her in and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. "I trust you Bo, and our friends to find away out of this. Trick will be able to help you. Now go." He nodded towards the door. Lauren who had managed to stand, moved to Bo's side, and grasped her hand. "Take care of her Doc. You know how she is, always getting into trouble." Lauren smiled despite the waves of nausea she must be feeling, resisting the pull of the music.

"I promise."

Bo turned to Kenzi, hugging the smaller woman fiercely. "You stick close to him ok? I'm going to be really mad at you if I do something totally amazing and legendary to save your ass, and you have gone all Cuckoo's nest on me. Do you hear?" She asked, a sob choking her words. Kenzi tugged her friend's ponytail hard, memorizing her dear face.

"Heard, loud and clear. Now go Bobo."

Bo nodded. Grasping Lauren's hand tightly, she and the Doctor retreated behind the three layers of steel and iron bars, the metal etched with ancient runic wards to contain its prisoner. As soon as the doors closed, even though they could hear the music, the painful tugging at their minds stopped. They watched as Dyson and Kenzi stepped towards the edge of the pool.

Dyson, flexing and clenching his wounded hand to reopen the wound, held it out over the still water. Three drops of his blood fell from his hand, disturbing the surface of the black.

"Dream thief! I have given you my blood, and I ask a boon. There is a darkness here that even you will not abide. Shelter us in your waters, and you may share our dreams. I know it has been a long while since you have fed. Do you accept this gift?"

His voice reverberated through the cavern, strong and resolute. The music, which had become almost overwhelming quieted as a voice, beautiful and young, and absolutely mad replied sweetly. Kenzi shivered violently and Dyson pulled her closer against him.

"I accept Wolf. Step nearer so I may taste of your offering..." Dyson nodded as they walked deeper into the pool, within steps, the water was up to Kenzi's shoulders. The water was thicker than normal, but thankfully, warm. He pulled her against his chest, wrapping both arms around her, grasping his own wrists as tightly as he could manage.

"The Fossegrim is going to pull us underwater, but you will be able to breathe, I promise. He feeds on dreams and hopes. As long as you stay close to me, he cannot separate our minds, no matter what. So don't be afraid..." Long icy fingers wrapped around his leg, and from Kenzi's startled gasp, hers as well. Her breath quickened, unable to see what ever it was beneath the water was terrifying. He bent at the knee, lowering himself so her could look her in the eyes. He captured her mouth in his for a brief kiss.

"Hey... hey, look at me." He looked into her eyes, one red, the other brilliant blue-grey. "I love you Kenzi. I love you more than makes any kind of sense. And I swear what ever happens next I will be by your side."

"Don't give this thing any help. Don't show it your fears. It can only build from what you give him. So think of the most beautiful place you can. Your safest memory. Hold it tightly in your mind ok?" She nodded, so afraid, but trusting him absolutely. She wrapped her arm around him, hooking her thumb in the belt loop of his jeans. Resting her head on his chest, she focused on the sound of his powerful heart.

Her entire world narrowed to that singular beautiful sound.

The icy fingers tightened and a gleeful chuckle filled the cavern as they were dragged beneath the surface.

Bo cried out, horrified as she saw them dragged underwater, terror clenching her heart as they failed to reappear. The music had stopped completely and stillness returned to the water. The sudden silence was overwhelming.

Shaking the bars that separated them with all her might, she finally unleashed the rage that she had been trying to contain since this whole thing began. On what had been one the happiest celebrations of her life.

The runes, etched in the metal began to glow bright green to withstand the force of her anger. Tears streaming down her face, only Lauren's arms wrapping around her waist, squeezing her so tightly that the bright pain of it was able to calm her. Collapsing back into Lauren's arms, the pair slid to the hard, cold ground, as the doctor pressed silent kisses against the top of her head, the side of her face.

"They will be ok Bo. I know it. This gives us the time that we need to save her, to truly save her. I promise I, all of us will help you find the way." A sob escaped Bo, as despair threatened to overwhelm her. Faith had never been something she had been able to put stock in.

"How? How can you be so sure?" She asked, turning her head to look at Lauren's beautiful face, the Doctor's gaze was focused on the dark, still waters only twenty feet away.

"Because he loves her Bo. I know because he just performed the only ritual strong enough to bond a human and a fae so close that even the Fossegrim could not pull them apart." She looked down at the look of confusion on the brunette's face, her fingers brushed lovingly along Bo's cheekbones. She forgot sometimes that despite being human, her knowledge of Fae traditions vastly outweighed those of her lover.

She bent down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "That was a handfasting ceremony Bo. He just married her."

To Be Continued.

Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Had a 15 hour return flight, so I was able to get a pretty hefty chapter written out. I cut the steamy bit a little short because I was wary of the 's rating system, even though I have seen its not consistently enforced. If anyone knows a good Kenzi/Dyson site that is ok with posting it, I'll probably flesh it out (har har har) with a "Director's cut" version. Enjoy and please review!

* * *

The first thing that Dyson was aware of was the sound of dripping water.

Soft random patters of water falling on stone and the surface of water alike helping to him drag his mind from the weight of unconsciousness. The ground beneath him was hard and cold, stones cutting into his shoulders painfully, but his head and neck seemed oddly comfortable. The juxtoposition between the two was odd enough to help drag his mind to the surface. He had to blink several times to get his eyes to focus, surprised to find the light low enough to not be offensive, he discovered a low stone ceiling. His keen eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness as he took in his surroundings. He lay on the floor of a small cavern, several feet away from the shore of a deep mountain pool, the surface of the water rippled from the drops of water originating from the cavern's ceiling. Warm low light filtered in from the cave's opening about 20 feet to his right. Pushing himself up on his elbows he felt the heavy constricting weight of wet clothing against his skin. It took him a moment to notice the very peculiar fact he was wearing a kilt.

"Wha?" He sat straight upright, he looked down, finding him in same full ragged garb that he had worn hundreds of years ago. A rough spun cotton shirt was tucked into a plain woolen kilt and rugged leather sporran belted at the waist. Basic but sturdy leather ghillies were strapped to his feet, thick laces crossing up to just below his knee. His broadsword, exactly as he remembered it, lay next to him on the ground. Turning slightly he saw a nicely folded woolen cloak had been placed behind his head while he slept. It was a kind gesture, but who...

The events that let up to his moment caught up to him in a rush. The Norn, the lab, the Fossegrim.

Kenzi.

"Kenzi!" He yelled, grasping the hilt of his sword he rolled to his feet in a fluid motion, remaining partially crouched as he stalked towards the opening. Cursing his foolishness for being so loud before knowing his surroundings, he took in a deep breath, and instantly found Kenzi's sent without the distinctive tang he associated with her fear. She had been this way recently and was not afraid. He relaxed considerably and continued towards the exit of the cavern, becoming reacquainted with the closer connection to the ground ghillies provided. He had forgotten the feeling as he had become accustomed to restrictive modern shoes. The as he stepped out of the cave, the warm light of dusk had begun to settle on one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen.

A vast deep valley spread out before him, thick conifers lined steeply rising mountains that were topped with snow as they climbed towards the sky. At the far end of the valley was lake, the thick field between he and it was filled with thick grass and bright purple heather and lavender. The sent of it hung heavily in the air. It the valley looked familiar to him, but the steep majestic mountains that rose sharply from deep behind the treeline were unknown to him. The sound of rustling brush behind him made him turn sharply on his toes, and he found Kenzi stepping out of the tree line behind him.

"So I'm going to assume I have you to blame for this renaissance fair get up?" She dropped the armful of kindling she had been carrying and gestured to herself. She her legs and feet were in-cased in soft doeskin leather leggins, with a white cotton shift that reached to mid-thigh which was belted at the waist by a boiled leather underbust corset. A tartan sash was crossed her chest and knotted at her waist where a Roman short sword was belted. Her hair, having apparently dried without the benefit of a blowdryer curled wildly around her face in a thick profusion. A healthy flush bloomed on her cheeks from the exertion of gathering firewood, and in the warm light of the fading sunlight, she had never looked more beautiful than she had in that moment. A huge grin broke out across her face and she charged at him. He laughed, happy beyond measure to see her healthy. Jamming his broadsword into the earth he opened his arms just in time to catch her as she leaped into him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

"It worked! I can't believe it actually worked Dyson!" She wrapped her legs around his waist and settled in as he wrapped his arms under her butt, supporting her easily. "I was mostly out of it there at the end, but I was worried we would all Nightmare Before Christmas, us hanging from crazy psycho torture racks or something, but _this!"_She gestured with her head at the beauty that surrounded them. She exhaled a long deep breath, resting her her forehead against his as her voice dropped several octaves. "She's gone D-man, its quiet inside my noggin again." He let her slide down to stand on her own feet as his hands came up to cup her face. Pushing her hair aside, he ran his fingers long her neck to just under her shift, finding her alabaster skin clear of any markings. Relief flooded him. It wasn't often his harebrained ideas worked quite so well.

"How long have you been awake?" He asked, unable to help himself from checking her over for any harm. She smiled at his mothering and captured once of his hands as it roamed over her, squeezing it tightly in her between her own.

"Not too long, but I'm having a hard time..." She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before shaking her head. "with time. I feel like I have been awake for a long time, but the light of the sunset has been same for too long I think..." She looked towards the setting sun curiously. "It seems to be setting properly now." She looked up at him. "Are you doing that?"

He shrugged.

"Not intentionally, this is all new to me as well, its possible though. With me being awake, I may have more influence over the course of this dream..." He looked around at the darkening landscape around him. "Where are we? I almost recognize this, but the mountains..." A warm smile spread across Kenzi's face.

"These are from me. The lake is new, but the mountains...my family are Romani, gypsy. My Grandmother told me stories and old photographs my whole childhood about the Ural Mountains in Russia, where my family is from." She shivered slightly as the temperature began to drop with this sun. Dyson turned her around, and wrapped both his arms around her shoulders trying to share his warmth with her. Gathering wood had been surprisingly prudent, they would need to start a fire soon.

"We will have to keep on our toes until we understand the rules of this place better. But you are right, this is pretty amazing." He her a quick squeeze. "Come on, lets get inside and get a fire started."

A while later, a fire had been lit near the entrance of the cave allowing the smoke to vent easily. Further investigation revealed that whatever game the Fossegrim was playing, they clearly were intended to be on some sort of journey. Modern sleeping bags were nestled among, various traveling gear from the many centuries Dyson had lived. They laughed going through it all, and when it was all said and done, they had a nice cozy fireside camp set up. Sitting cross-legged next to Dyson with a handful of almonds in her lap, Kenzi munched but her stomach growled a little.

"Assuming that this is a proper forest, I'll go hunting for us in the morning. See if we can get some proper food in that bottomless pit of yours." Dyson offered. Kenzi swallowed the mouthful of nuts she had been chewing on and nodded her face pensive as she stared at the fire intensely, as if she were analyzing every flame.

"Its strange that I'm hungry at all. I mean this isn't _actually_ real, right? I mean in real life, we are at the bottom of a mad fae's kiddie pool, I'm being hallowed out...and you..." She turned to him, her eyes fierce, and suddenly full of anger. "D, how could you do that? How could you take that chance? Its crazy, you have no idea if there is any way that they can save me..." She was cut off by his finger on her lips.

"Kenzi, my choices are my own. I did what I did, because I couldn't bear the idea that I could lose you before I had a chance...before _we_ had a chance to be more. For someone who has lived as long as I have, I have become shamefully afraid of taking chances." His finger lingered on her mouth longer than was necessary, moving to trace the line of her lower lip. "You taught me that Kenzi. So yeah, I took a crazy chance." His eyes searched hers for any clues on what emotions were roiling under the surface of those beautiful eyes. He was surprised when he found fear.

"Why are you afraid?"

"Bo." She shrugged and turned away from him slightly her shoulders hunched over a bit as she visibly began to shy away from him. "You are going to think this is stupid, I know it." She looked at him briefly, before her eyes darted back to the fire. "But I'm a little freaked out about playing second fiddle to a freaking succubus." Dyson, against all good reason, could not stop the laughter that boiled out of him in that moment. That with the incredible, very real danger they were both in, that _this _was what Kenzi was afraid of?

Kenzi, clearly misinterpreting his laughter, threw the rest of her almonds at him in a fury, jumping to her feet. Before she managed to stalk a single step away, Dyson was on his feet. Capturing her waist in one hand he pulled her towards him as he buried his hand in the thick unruly mass of her hair. His laughter subsided when he felt how hard she was shaking. She truly _was _afraid that he wouldn't want her, that he could ever find her something less that the amazing being he saw her to be. His face sobered, the lines around his eyes softening as he gently forced her to look at him.

"Kenzi..." He squeezed her against him. "Kenzi look at me." Her eyes finally locked on his, and he continued. "Please don't for even a single moment, think like that. Yes. Bo, is a..." He paused trying to find a word that would not upset her. "Force, when it comes to sex. But it comes at a cost. Her feeding..." He paused not sure how to correctly articulate his own feelings on the matter. But as he paused for a moment, truly letting himself enjoy the feeling of her body pressed against his, the way the light of the fire touched her skin, the very real desire her scent was eliciting in him...

He realized that perhaps the best possible thing he could do, was show her how very wrong she was.

Pulling her up to him, her toes barely touching the ground, he captured her mouth in his.

For a brief moment she resisted, surprised by his actions, her heart pounding audibly against her ribs. But then, with the smallest moan, she surrendered to the crushing force of his kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled herself higher and wrapped her legs around him squeezing herself as tightly against him as she could. His hands, no longer needed to support her, went to her waist, fingers making quick work of the laces of her corset, tugging it off. She kissed him with such sweet earnesty it took his breath away.

Her delightfully creative tongue moved from his mouth to to his throat, and he lifting his chin to give her greater access as his hands slipped under the shift that had bunched around her hips. His desire to feel ever inch of her amazing skin made him painfully aware of how there were entirely too many clothes between them.

With a frustrated growl he picked her up and set her down on her feet, peeling the offending top up over her head. Finding herself suddenly topless before him, she didn't shy away, but her eyes were still unsure. He placed a soft kiss on her mouth, reassuring and sweet, before he kneeled in front of her.

Fingers moved to the laces of her trousers, he peeled them down slowly to her ankles. Stepping out of them, he placed them to the side, and looked up at her, every inch of her beautiful skin bare before him against the warmth of the fire. What ever she saw in his eyes at that moment must have settled the last of her fears, as hers began to simmer with confidence and desire.

Straightening, he placed a series of kisses along the outside her her thigh and flat of her hip. With great care he ran his fingers along the long healed tissue of the terrible scar at her waist. He dipped his head to place several brief kisses along it. Moving slightly over, his nose brushed along the apex of her thighs as he drew in the sent of her arousal, committing it to memory as a growl rolled deep in his chest, his desire for her became almost painful.

"I didn't think it was possible that someone could make that look so hot." She commented, as she tangled her fingers in his hair. He chuckled as he looked up at her, smiling. "It makes me feel..." She paused unsure of her words. He placed a kiss on the center of her belly before resting his chin there, looking up.

"Tell me." He commanded gently.

"It makes me feel like yours." She concluded, her eyes calm and honest.

"You are." He said simply, nothing but kindness in his voice. "More than you know. But no more than I am yours." He began to stand slowly, leaving a trail of kisses up her stomach, between her breasts. She pouted adorably when he pulled away slightly as he assumed the full height. The dark line of her brow arched curiously as she observed the volume of clothing he had on.

"So is it true what they say about men wearing kilts?" She asked, genuinely curious. He was loving the husky tone her voice adopted when she was aroused. He grinned as he pulled off his shirt.

"Care to find out?" He asked with the best rogueish grin he could manage.

The wicked smile she gave him in return made his heart soar.

* * *

It was not until night had settled well until the world that they lay still beside the firelight. Skin flushed and covered with a thin sheen of sweat that begun to evaporate quickly in the night air in the cave. Dyson had pulled one of the sleeping bags up over their shoulders, a leg wrapped around her hip as she was tucked into his chest.

Kenzi stretched beneath him, looking tremendously pleased with herself. A content smile had settled on her face as she looked up at him, her nimble fingers tracing small circles along his sides. Several long moments passed before she spoke.

"Upon further review. I stand by my previous statement." Dyson raised a brow curiously.

"Your junk could _totally _cure cancer." Dyson laughed and pushed her hair back from her face, several strands stuck to her cheek with sweat. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this good. He pulled out his old brogue for effect.

"I aim please ye m'lady." She laughed and groaned.

"Ok chesseball." She patted his shapely ass under the sleeping bag. "Time to take care of lowly human business." She grabbed her shirt and had it pulled halfway on before she sat up, emerging from the blanket. "I would like to point out how absurd it is that I still have to pee in a dream, how unfair is that? I guess if I have to obey gravity, so does my bladder." Standing, she slipped her feet into her ankle boots without tying them. Picking up a spare piece of cotton bandage and her short sword she tossed a few new branches on the fire before moving towards the entrance of the cave. "I'll be back in a hot sec."

Dyson, not comfortable with her being out alone in the dark until the knew what was out there also stood up. This would be a perfect opportunity to test a theory. He shifted into wolf form, relived that he could still do so in this dreamscape.

Stalking out after Kenzi, he sensed she had only stepped a few feet into the tree line to take care of her business. The moon was full and unnaturally large, giving even Kenzi sufficient light. He trotted a little closer towards her, taking in a deep breath of the night air. There was something...he wasn't sure what it was, but it was nothing that he recognized. With everything that had gone on, it was hard to tell what was new, and what was a danger. He disliked being so out of his element. Taking care of his own business, he looked towards the collection of tree's he knew Kenzi was behind.

Time to see if the rest of his gamble paid off.

##Kenzi?## He asked telepathically, as quietly as he could.

The startled yelp from the darkness was totally worth it. Kenzi, peeked out from behind a tree, and saw that he was in wolf form, her hair adorably disheveled from their lovemaking.

"Holy Jean Grey...I _heard _that!" Dyson wuffed in the wolf equivalent of a laugh.

##Try saying something back. Focus on what you want to say, concentrate on _just_ that. Then imagine pushing those out to me, just like if you were trying to project across a room.## Kenzi stepped out from behind the tree, straightening her shift over her legs, and faced him fully. Her face scrunched as she concentrated on his instructions.

The next thing he knew he was bombarded with images, most of them of their recent activity. A small wine escaped him with the force of it, her ability to project was clearly healthy, it would be focusing her thoughts into a single message that would require practice. He was about to say something to stop her when one image, brief and incomplete flashed in her mind.

Buried inside the beautiful way in which she saw them together, was a something completely different. Heartbreaking. A small girl no more than 9 or 10, with Kenzi's beautiful eyes cowering in a corner. A large dark shadow, the clenched fist of a man stood over her.

But as quickly as the memory flashed in his own mind, it was immediately replaced with happier ones, him smiling, her smiling back. He shook his head hard, quelling the images. When the time was right he would ask her about what he had seen. But it was obvious that the image as not something she intentionally sent.

##Good first try.## Kenzi visibly relaxed a bit, and smiled broadly at him. ##I could _hear _you fine, but all I got were images associated with the message you were trying to convey. With more practice you will be able to send words instead of pictures. He nodded his head towards the cave. Let's get back inside, I can see your goosebumps from here.##

The moment he turned around, the wind shifted and he caught one of the most horrific scents he had ever experienced.

Kenzi, who had just take a step forward to follow Dyson, caught moment in the corner of her eye.

Only a wild blow, and pure luck save her.

With a startled cry expelled from her lungs, she found herself suddenly pinned to the ground. Her sword, which she had brought in front of her at the last second was buried deep in the mouth of the most grotesque creatures she had ever seen.

The massive creature straddled her completely, its intention to bite her face off was hampered only by the fact that the cross-guard of her sword kept its jaws pried it open. Even terrified, she knew enough biology to be confused as to why this thing was still alive. Unless its brain was in its ass, it should be dead. With a furious cry of anger and exertion she wrapped both hands tightly around the hilt, trying to ignore the agony as the base of the sword dug into her upper chest. Somewhere behind the immediate sound of this thing howling in her face, she could hear Dyson's ferocious growling. With all her might she began twist the sword, trying to muck up its brain as much as she could.

All of a sudden, Dyson's growling changed into the sound of extraordinary cursing.

His clawed hands came into view as he grasped either side of the creature's jaws. And suddenly, the weight on her chest was gone. Taking a huge gasping breath she jumped to her feet moving to stand just a step behind Dyson who had managed to throw the massive thing a good ten feet away. He stepped protectively in front of her, bare chest heaving as he moved to a defensive crouch. The creature finally seemed to notice the sword jammed in its mouth. Shaking its head violently, and pawing at its face, it was momentary distracted.

"You ok?" He asked, voice tight as he kept his eyes focused forward.

"Yeah. Can we get to the cave, you sword..." He nodded, pushing her behind him they began to backup towards the cave. The creature, seeing their movement, ceased its fussing and refocused on them.

Crouching, it was just about to leap towards them when—much to everyone's surprise—a flaming arrow appeared right in one of the creature's eyes.

Even more surprising was when the entire thing went up in flames in mere seconds, disintegrating into ash.

The clattering sound of horse hooves and a triumphant whoop skidded in from the darkened forest into the clearing right next to them.

"Well shot my love!" Came the oddly jubilant voice of a handsome young man whom Kenzi did not recognize. He was dressed similarly to how Dyson had been except for he wore leather leggins and what appeared to be light chest armor. The blonde woman who pulled her own mount up short beside him a crossbow in hand, made Kenzi's heart jump into her throat.

"Would you care to explain Dyson, why you are running around the forest, mother naked with the Lady Kenzi in the middle of an Dark controlled forest? For Goddess sake, you couldn't be more foolish if you tried." Came the most welcome condescending lecture Dyson had ever herd.

"Ciara! Stefan!" He exclaimed, the joy in his voice almost palpable. Stefan dismounted, the two men gave each other hearty hugs, Dyson grasping the other man's head roughly between his hands which were visibly shaking. At the mention of Stefan's name Kenzi relaxed slightly. Ciara's husband Stefan. But how? They were both dead. The Fossegrim must be drawing from every memory, without care to if they are dead or alive. Kenzi shuttered, there were more than enough things from both their pasts that were better of staying dead. Stefan's laugh interrupted her thoughts.

"Brother, it has only been a month since we saw eachother, you act like it has been years!" Ciara sent him a warning look. "Come, we can discuss your travels when we are safe in the keep." He turned to Kenzi. "Lady Kenzi, please take my horse. I would run with my pack brother once again." Kenzi looked to Dyson, silently mouthing _Lady? _to him. He shrugged. _Play along._

Ciara edged her mount closer to him so that she could take his quickly discarded garments as he shifted into wolf. She shoved them into a large saddle bag and turned to Kenzi.

"Quickly, please, gather your belongings...and trousers if don't mind. I don't care to explain your state to the court when we return. Others will have heard that raucous and will come to investigate." Kenzi, not eager to see any more of those monsters nodded and ducked quickly into the cave, feeling Dyson follow behind her. He smiled devilishly when he caught her taking a side long glace at him. She rolled her eyes as she jammed her legs back into her pants.

"Damn you shifter nudists. Being all gorgeous and distracting." She stood and gently rubbed the palm of her hand into her chest. The bone and tissue already bruising from the hilt of the sword. Her face sobered. "Do you think Matix rules apply here? If we die here, what happens to us? The _real_ us I mean."

Dyson jammed his clothes into a zipped up sleeping bag, the only container he could find. He picked up his broadsword and stalked towards the entrance, nodding for her to follow and leave the rest.

"I can't be sure. I don't think its an unreasonable assumption though. Some of the Fossegrim's feeds would be dead when they were expelled from the pool, others with massive gaps in their own memories, others insane. All I know, is that Ciara and Stefan are here and seem themselves—or at least according to our memories of them—that perhaps Trick is as well. We can seek out his wisdom." Stefan gave a warning growl that needed no translation. Kenzi grabbed her cloak, settling it over her shoulders and followed Dyson out of the cave to the waiting horse.

Stuffing the sleeping bag into a saddle pack, he turned to help Kenzi get into the saddle when she walked right past him, and with impressive efficiency, grabbed the horse's withers, jammed her foot into the crude iron stirrup and slug her leg up over the saddle. Getting settled in quickly she gathered the reins and looked a bit indignant and the utterly shocked look on Dyson's face.

"What? The day a Romani doesn't know their way around a horse is the day I quit drinking. There is a lot you don't know about me D-man." She smiled, finding his face was particularly adorable when a little perplexed. "Come on now, aren't we supposed to be running for our lives or something?" She inquired. He grinned and gave her thigh a squeeze as he shifted into wolf form. He and Stefan took point, long running strides eating up the terrain below their claws at startling speed, as she and Ciara followed on the trail close behind.

To Be Continued.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Devil in Me**

By: Venkaskribbles

Note: Yes, I know I am lame and a meanie for updating so slowly. What can I say, life/work/and two toddlers got the better of me. Thankfully I had another business trip, so I can sit back on the plane/airport and have time to do nothing but write! I had already made some of my character developments before I started watching Season 3, so I thought it was fun to see that the show had gone the same way! Enjoy this nice long chapter, and please let me know what you think!

"Warning" : Given I was not booted from for the Covert Affairs fic I did two months ago, I have decided not to shy away from true intimate scenes for the duration of this fic. Consider yourself "warned" :)

Disclaimer: The awesome characters below are not of my making, and I am merely borrowing them for no profit!

* * *

As the travel weary group made its way through the city towards the great castle built atop a cliff face, giving way to the vast ocean below, Kenzi could not quell the sense of unease growing in the pit of her stomach at the sea of familiar faces that surrounded her as they moved through the city. Childhood friends, teachers, the coffee guy from the shop around the corner...all making up the people of this city, dressed as she was in period garb, going about their daily lives as if they belonged here. Dyson, who had shifted back into his human form at the gates of the city led her horse as they followed several yards behind Ciara and Stefan. Stefan had insisted that the folk of this massive city were quite accustomed to shifters, and had remained as a wolf, his massive shape hulking besides Ciara's well trained horse. Kenzi turned her foot out of the stirrup and nudged Dyson's ribs.

"These people Dyson..." She began. He nodded slowly, but kept his eyes forward. Even  
in the dim pre-dawn light she could see how tensely he carried himself. This was making him uncomfortable too.

"I know. Their faces...some of them I have not seen in decades, some fae, some human..." He slowed a step so he stood just behind her, giving the back of her knee a small squeeze. She looked tired, but offered him a small smile at the reassuring contact.

"I'm pretty sure we can blame my childhood addiction with Gargoyles for that keep up ahead, but the rest of the city is you I think...Dyson, what are we supposed to be DOING here? Ciara and Stefan know us, and think this is where we should be going, but all I want to do is turn around and go hide in the woods with you until Bo and the the gang find away to get us out of that death pond."

"I'm fighting that same urge myself, but I think until we have our barring a bit better, we are safest just playing along. Whatever that was in the woods was clearly supposed to be the bad guy, and every face I have seen here so far has been a friend or neutral acquaintance, so we are clearly meant to feel in our element. Lets just stick close together until we have a better idea of the rules."

Kenzi was about to say something else, but then decided against it, and busied herself with idly braiding the corse hair of her horse's mane. She had survived this long by knowing how to play whatever hand she had been dealt the smartest. Not even knowing the rules made her intensely uncomfortable. Not to mention how significantly things had changed between she and Dyson with exactly no time to talk about it.

However, there was nothing that could be done about it right now, so she took a deep calming breath and decided she should try and look less of a disaster. She took the knife from the saddle bag and cut off a leather string from the fringed saddle blanket and did her best to comb out her wild hair with her fingers. She braided it quickly and secured the end with the leather, tossing it back over her shoulder. When she saw the look that Dyson was giving her she stuck out her tongue.

"Oh stuff it wolf boy. We can't all rock the cave man highlander look as well as you do." He chuckled, feeling a bit better for it as they passed through a series of impressive gates to get inside the main courtyard of the keep. This place looked and felt old to him, but well maintained, as if the defendability of its walls was still something to be counted on. A smartly dressed page in handsome livery came running out to greet them before they had fully entered the courtyard, taking the reins completely from Dyson with an efficient bow as the shifter helped a stiff Kenzi dismount. He could see her slight wince when her feet touched the ground, and the darkening bruise on her chest from the hilt of her sword. She didn't say a word though, just stretched, trying to get blood back into her rear.

"Lady Kenzi, it is so wonderful to have you home. Her highness Princess Ysabeau has missed you terribly while you were gone." He said with youthful enthusiasm. Kenzi smiled forcibly and looked sidelong at Dyson.

"_Princess_ Ysabeeau. Naturally. Let's hope that is our BoBo and not Grandmamma." She replied, suddenly felt that evil insecurity monster rearing its head. Dyson's solid frame pressing against her back as he stepped behind her was reassuring, reminding her of the night they had shared, and how earnestly he seemed to take this newborn relationship. Dyson was not a man who's words were spoken lightly.

There was a slight commotion from across the courtyard that startled her out of her thoughts, and when Bo emerged from the small throng of people that were sorting laundry, the look of pure joy on her face at seeing Kenzi banished any remaining fears. She wore a long beautiful vest of deep violet that was gathered at her waist by a wide black belt and functional leather trousers and shirt beneath it, a simple knife was visible from a sheath strapped to her knee high boots. Before Kenzi had time to appraise her any further she was crushed in her bestie's arms. Even her smell was exactly how Kenzi remembered it. She returned the embrace readily, squeezing her friend as tightly as she could. This felt right. She relaxed in Bo's arms, who gave her one final squeeze before releasing her.

"You little idiot, you had me so worried! You were supposed to be back a week ago. I disobeyed the King and sent Ciara and Stefan after you two. " She turned seemingly aware of Dyson for the first time. She glowered at him, but there was warmth in her eyes.

"And you, what sort of Captain of the Guard runs off with the King's adopted granddaughter in the middle of the night?" She poked him in the chest accusingly. Dyson's brow went up. She seemed her usual self.

"A bad one apparently. Thank you for sending the rescue party, the timing was...prudent" He smiled warmly but offered no more. Her expression darkened a bit, suspecting there was more she needed to know, but let it drop for now. Ciara and Stefan had already disappeared into the stables, catching up on the latest news from the page, leaving them alone with Bo in a busy courtyard.

Bo took a moment to actually look at the sate of them and she whistled.

"What a mess you two are. Grandfather is busy sitting council, he won't be finished with that lot until later today. We were already planning a feast tonight for the visiting clan elders, I think you can manage to clean up and stay out of sight until then." She slipped her arm in Kenzi's elbow and began to lead her away from Dyson. He started to follow them when Bo gave him quite the look.

"And where do you think you are going?" She teased, nodding off in the other direction. "Men's bath house is that way. We will see you at the feast." She informed him formally and turned to leave. Kenzi looked over her shoulder as Bo led her away. Find me later! She whispered, just in his range of hearing.

Any anxiety Kenzi had professed over being separated from Dyson went right out the window when Bo arranged for her handmaidens to draw a gloriously hot bath and lay out a clean sleep shirt for her. She could get used to this being a Lady business. Bo proceeded to talk her ear off about what had gone on during their absence, a significant volume of it was new to Kenzi, but she played along and stored the information for when she could steal a few moments away with Dyson and they could compare notes.

From what she could piece together, the kingdom of Dhal was ruled by Bo's grandfather, who Kenzi was going to assume was still Trick, but she was afraid to ask for clarification. It used to be ruled by a human king, a who's family had been close allies of Trick's for several generations. This King sheltered a great many number of Light fae during the last Great War with the Dark, and was assassinated for his trouble, not leaving an heir. Trick was crowned king and ruled ever since, declaring the land a safehaven for human and fae alike.

While the middle of their current story evaded her ability to decipher without raising Bo's suspicions, it was clear that fae and the humans were just as equally at war with a kingdom across the sea, who's queen was believed to have dark powers.

Despite how much she wanted to hear more, she found herself nodding off in the warm scented waters of the tub. Bo excused her servants and took it upon herself to help her exhausted friend get dressed and to her own quarters, just down the hall.

Tucking her into bed with care, Bo fussed briefly with Kenzi's unruly hair, mentioning she needed to retrieve a salve from Lauren that would help calm the chaos. The gesture, so like the real Bo, it made Kenzi forget for a moment that this was not reality.

"Get some rest. I've got quite a few things to do today, I'll tell the floor guard to see that you are not disturbed. I'll come and get you before the feast so you can see Grandfather without all those people around. He was very worried about you you know." Bo smiled and tucked a blanket under her chin before slipping out, and Kenzi surrendered to her exhaustion and slipped into darkens.

She did not emerge from her sleep until she felt an almost uncomfortably warm body slip under the covers with her, and a large, newly familiar hand finding a comfortable spot on the curve of her hip.

Before she was even fully awake, she smiled and stretched, trying to shake off some of her malaise. The room was significantly brighter than it had been when she had fallen asleep. She kicked off the blanket, the cooler air of the room was refreshing, helping to wake her up. She turned her head to see Dyson's handsome face looking down at her.  
"Presumptuous much?" She inquired at him slipping so confidently into her bed while she slept. She would never admit how much she loved it. He laughed and gave her hip a squeeze as he leaned in and placed a line of soft kisses along her exposed neck.

"Well it seems that in this world you and I are in no way together yet, in fact propriety of our stations would generally discourage it. From what I gather, you are considered just as much a Princess as Bo." She found herself turning her neck so he could have access to more skin. "So while in my mind I have fair right to bed you whenever we choose, it seems that for now, I must resort to sneaking around to be alone with you." He said, unable to keep a timber of adorable annoyance out of his voice.

"How long have I been asleep?" She asked looking towards the window, trying not to acknowledge how quickly her body responded to him. It scared her a little, how strongly she felt tied to him. How was it possible to feel this strongly so fast?

"The bulk of the day, its late-afternoon already. I got cleaned up and did some exploring. I found Hale, he is my second in command. Fitting. The Ash, the first one I mean, is alive here, he is the spymaster for the king. Lauren is the apothecary, also seems right. There is rumor among the humans that she is overly familiar with Bo." Kenzi laughed at that.

"So people generally are the same here then? Just slightly different variations. I found out that this kingdom is run jointly by humans and fae alike, Trick is the king, and we are at war with another kingdom that is run by an evil queen. Pond boy has created quite the set up for us hasn't he?" She felt her tummy rumble quietly. "When is this promised feast?" She asked starting to get out of bed so that she could figure out how to get into the absurdly complicated dress Bo had laid out.

Dyson's strong hand stilled her with gentle, insistent pressure, preventing her from moving. It was clear that he had something entirely different then medieval woman's fashion on his mind. His long fingers began to move around the edge of her hip, further south until they found their destination, applying a maddeningly soft pressure in slow circles on her most sensitive spot. Kenzi felt a moan escape unbidden at the unexpected touch, as she tilted her pelvis forward against his hand.

"We have at least two or three hours before Bo comes looking for you. She has gone out to attend some business in the village closest to the keep." Dyson advised, tugging the cotton sleep shift she wore up over her hips. He shifted slightly to improve his angle and slipped two fingers inside if her, the palm of his hand grinding against her clit. She shuttered violently against him, and he relished sound of her quickening breath, as feral grin spreading across his face. The song of her heated blood stirring him quickly into a desperate need as he tried to focus on pleasing her first. He wondered if this is what it was always like for mated pairs. How could he have known how much even the briefest separation would start to make him anxious? As he explored the keep this morning, not entirely sure where she was, he found himself growing ill at ease. Conversely, the simple joy he felt at knowing he was responsible for the moans of pure pleasure being pulled from her lips.

He had always taken a solid measure of pride at being able to throughly satisfy his lovers, but with Kenzi...it was different and he was not entirely sure how to describe it. He felt a pang of guilt for not having told her yet of the true meaning of the ritual he had performed to save her life. But as he could feel her walls begin to convulse around his fingers with he decided to keep silent for now. Something in him wanted to give her the chance to develop her feelings for him without the knowledge that they were already bound. He had made this choice for her to save her life, he could at least let her grow to love him of her own accord. He had a feeling that she was still going to kill him when she eventually found out.

But at this particular moment, she was by far to occupied to care.

* * *

Bo smiled mischievously at what she could see before her as she leaned against the bars of the Fossegrim's cell, staring intently at the glass-still waters of the pool. It had been two weeks since she had watched that monster pull her best friends under. Dyson's plan must have worked, as of yet, evil incarnate had not emerged from beneath the water. The time buying tactic had proved critical, as it had taken weeks or research just to get their first solid lead on the Elder Sister's location. The Ash's private jet was taking off in a few hours on their first expiation to find it.

Well, temporary Ash at any rate. Hale had been named temporary Ash, his family's clout as well as his participation in the battle against the Garuda had elevated his standing more than he was comfortable with. But, as he pointed out, while he had 'it' he should take full advantage, so he was more than willing to commit every resource at his disposal to their aid.

"I was worried I wouldn't ever see you smile again." Lauren's voice sounded softly from behind her. Bo had been concentrating on the water so fully, she had not heard her lovely doctor's approach. The succubus laughed and nodded towards the pool.

"I just got my first confirmation that they are alive, and more than that..." She grinned, her face taking on that slight hunger it always did when she was observing heated auras. "They have time to throughly enjoy eachother. They are burning so hot right now I can almost make out every finger an toe beneath the water. "

"Really?" Lauren asked, her voice taking on that adorable tone of scientific curiosity as she wrapped her arms around Bo's waist, resting her chin on her shoulder.

"They are not moving, I cant even tell if their are breathing. But their minds are so incredibly alive right now." She took a deep breath trying to cool herself off, the intensity of the pair's lovemaking, in their minds or not, was highly distracting. "Are we ready to go?" She asked turning away from the bars and moving with Lauren towards the elevator.

"We are, the gear is being loaded into the plane as we speak. We just have one last touchbase meeting with the Ash and then we can go."

"Hale." Bo corrected. Lauren smiled.

"Old habits die hard." She hit the button and took one last look at the cell. "Although he is quite good at this already. Lets get this gaggle on the road, we have a long flight ahead of us."

Bo also took one last look at the brilliant red glow she could still see through the bars of the room beyond. She grinned wickedly, feeling hope blossom in her chest once again as she playfully pinched the doctor's lovely butt.

"Hale DID say we could have the Ash's private cabin on this plane right?"

Lauren blushed brightly and elevator began its assent.

* * *

Dyson grunted under the force of the demon's blow as the sound of his steel grinding against the demon's iron blade drowned out the din of the battle around them. What had originally been a short campaign to push a patrol back across the river into their territory had turned into a week-long engagement. As it turned out, the Fossigrim had a cruel streak, and the demon bitch who had taken over Kenzi-was one in the same with the Queen they were at war with.

Ishtar was the ruler of the nation across the sea that Trick's kingdom was at war with. While contained to this world just as much as they, she was not powerless, and had raised an army of wretched, tortured creatures to fight alongside a patchwork collection of all the worst assholes Dyson and Kenzi had met in their lifetimes.

He parried the next blow and twisted quickly to his opposite side, finding the creature's flank exposed, he pressed the advantage and buried his longsword deep into it's ribs. Howling its death knell the demon collapsed and began to dissolve, while Dyson took a moment to look around. Hale was not too far away, injured and heavily favoring his right leg. The rest of his squad was not fairing as well, they were exhausted and out-manned. If they didn't get help soon, they would loose. Dyson swallowed hard, taking a deep slow breath as he tried to regain some semblance of strength.

After almost a year had passed since they awoke in this embattled dream, Kenzi and Dyson had learned very quickly after the first few battles that when someone died in this world, their memories of them began to fade. After a few weeks, not a single recollection of that person remained. They relied on each-other to be the memory keeper for the other, and could only guess at the permanence of the loss once they awoke. What frightened them the most was the possibility that they had lost someone truly important to both of them, and they would not even know it. The thought that she could lose Bo had awoken Kenzi from her sleep many a night.

A dagger flew across his face, just inches from his nose, thoroughly drawing him back to the present. It buried itself in the face of a demon trying to sneak up behind him.

Despite his exhaustion, a huge grin broke across his face as he recognized the weapon. Bending down to retrieve it, he looked to see a wave of Dhalian reinforcements wash down the hill, chasing off the weary demon forces down to the shores of the river.

"You see Bo? This is what happens when Trick lets the boys have all the fun. They clearly cannot manage without us." Kenzi shouted over the din, a wicked smile spread across her face. Her hair was caught up in a multitude of plaits and then twisted into a knot at the base of her neck to keep it out of her face. Her eyes, those beautiful eyes were filled with love and relief to see him safe.

Due to the near constant state of battle they had experienced over the past year, Kenzi's previously passible skills as a fighter had increased exponentially, as they found she had and uncanny skill at knife throwing as well as bladed staff. Much like the onna-bugeisha of ancient Japan, the glaive-like weapon gave her the ability to dispatch her opponents before they could get close enough to turn their superior size and strength against her small fame.

Jamming the glaive into the ground next to Bo, she charged at him, hugging him tight. He could feel her heart pounding against her chest, and feel how soaked with sweat she was beneath her leather armor, and she was covered in horse-stink. He was immensely grateful that her comparatively dull nose could not appreciate the full range of his own stink. They must have been riding hard for three straight days to get here as fast as they did.

"We came as soon as the Spymaster's ravens brought word of how things had taken a turn for the worst. Then the winter thaw washed out the eastern bridge so we had do take the long way around...God Dyson, I was totally freaking out." He laughed and kissed her forehead. No one could worry like his Kenzi could worry. Bo, her matched swords crossing her back, approached with Kenzi's staff in hand. She had guessed at the change in Dyson and Kenzi's relationship long ago, and had quietly brought along her Grandfather towards tacitly blessing it. In the end she was beyond happy to see her two closest friends so happy. Hale too joined the group, to tired to even bother hiding the pain in his face at the wound in his leg.

"Great timing as usual my Ladies." Hale said with a smile that looked more like a wince. "Not even going to try to pretend that you didn't just save our asses. Thank you."

Bo nodded, but her face was uncharacteristically serous. "I can only take half credit, we have much to talk about, but an unusual opportunity has presented itself. Once we get you rested up and the waterline secure, we need to talk. Just the four of us." Dyson nodded, releasing Kenzi.

"Let us finish this then."

That night, as the troops celebrated their victory around their camp fires, the group reconvened. They had set up a large encampment outside the small river port city they had successfully defended, and they local mayor had been sure to supply them with two casks of rather excellent ale. Hale's wound had been properly tended by the healer and would heal quickly. Sitting at a makeshift table composed mostly of a broken barn door and some tree stumps, and a plain but hearty stew in front of them the friends caught each other up on the news.

Dyson took a long draw on his ale, amused at how much of hers Kenzi had already downed. She drank more when she was nervous, and this rustic ale was more alcoholic than she realized. He wondered why she was still so spun up. After a year of being together, he still found himself surprised by his little human on a regular basis.

"Our mission out here is two-fold." Bo began, setting her haunch of rye bread down to soak in the broth. "The first of course to save your lovely butts, as well as ensure we secured this port. The second is that according to the Spymaster, we have a rare opportunity. Ishtar is traveling next week to Ogaden to finalize an alliance with the Westerlings. She will be out in the open. This is the best chance we will likely ever get  
of killing her."

Dyson was silent for a long moment, taking in the implication of Bo's words. She was right, this will be the most in the open the Demon would be since the moment they awakened in this world. He and Kenzi had often wondered what would happen if they were able to kill her here. Would it save Kenzi just as readily as the Wolf Mother's quest to seek out the Elder Sister? It was a chance they had to take. It was too risky to keep living in open warfare any longer. With every battle they could loose someone they loved dearly, even eacthother. They had to try. He looked to Kenzi. While they could not speak while he was unshifted, she still seemed to be able to read his mind most days. She gave him a small smile and nodded.

"We are in, obviously, I saw some of my Kingsguard with you, fighting with the infantrymen, but only humans. I'm assuming you have a plan of some sort?" He asked already starting to guess where this was going.

"Ogaden is the slaving capitol of the west, but as strangers we will need plausible cause to get into the city." Bo stated simply, leveling a concerned look at Kenzi. Ishtar is there to attend the Morrigan's daughter's wedding, they have put out proclamations that they are going to need a practical army of slaves to both run and feed this little event. If we can seed in our own people...they can help us all get inside."

"The dark fae slave trading capitol." Dyson clarified, his voice taking on an angry edge. "Humans are bought and sold there like cattle for the fae to feed and prey on."

He looked at Kenzi, suddenly more than a little angry at her.

"You knew this was the plan?" She nodded and took a long drink of her beer, trying to hide behind the mug. This must have been what she was nervous about. "You knew full well that if you came along, we would be selling you like an animal to some slaver pigs? That _I _would have to sell you?" Her shoulders hunched a bit at his anger, but she didn't back down.

"Yes." She set her mug down, straightening. "But I also know what a rare chance this is, and did you really think I would let any of you go on an insane assassination mission that-lets face it-has fairly insano odds of succeeding, and not be with you?" She swallowed hard. "And besides, I know what it takes to be invisible. Not wolf silent, siren swagger, or succubus charming, but truly invisible. To matter so little that you don't even exist, the one that nobody cares about seeing. That is something that noone at this table but me has ever had to experience. I know what it takes. If anyone of us has a real chance of getting close to that demon bitch, its not going to be the beautiful fae that everyone in any room is going to notice. Its going to be the trash human slave cleaning up spilled drinks and scrubbing floors. So yeah. If it means being sold like I'm nothing, I'll do it. Same as every human who volunteered for this mission."

The table stilled with the weight of their words. With as capable and close as they all were, the fae members of their closeknit family often forgot that Kenzi was human at all. More so what she had endured in her short life time. Despite her youth, it irritated Dyson beyond words at time to know just how capable she was at making the hard decisions.

Hale, his beautifully jovial personality unable to withstand the tension any longer was first to crack a joke.

"Well its too bad you two love birds couldn't hurry along this little romance and get hitched, at least then Dyson would be able to use his psychic wolf mojo and communicate when you are inside the keep."

Kenzi, who had been taking a long drag from her beer, promptly choked.

Dyson, went suspiciously red in the face and gave Hale a murderous look. He started pounding Kenzi on her back rather dramatically. "Well! Looks like Kenzi has had enough to drink! Lets call it a night, do more planning for this insanity in the morning!" Stated a bit too enthusiastically.

_*chough* *wheeeze*_ "What?" *_cough_* Kenzi tried to get out but was promptly hoisted over Dyson's shoulder. "WHAT?"

Moving as quickly as he could through the camp of now cheering soldiers at the sight of their Commander carting off his love to the small barn that they had set aside for them. The cheering only seemed to make her more angry, as her fists pounded against his butt furiously. She was screaming expletives at him but he was so focused on getting them to a private place to host this drama he was not actually aware of what she was saying.

Arriving at the barn, he tried to pull the doors shut when she began to struggle more violently to get down. Rather than hurt her by restraining her too tightly, he was forced to unceremoniously drop her in a pile of hay. He turned back to close the doors, taking a deep breath. This was not how he wanted this little moment to transpire.

"Ok, before you tear me a new asshole, the only reason I didn't tell you was because I wanted to give you the chance to learn to love me on your own, without feeling like you didn't have a choice." He turned slowly, bracing for her fury and found-most unexpectedly-to see tears streaming down her face, her shoulders shaking violently with sobs.

"Oh Kenz..." He whispered kneeling down into the hay, pulling her tightly against him.  
Causing her to only cry harder, the power of it making him worry for the integrity of her ribs. His heart breaking at the mournful sound.

Long moments past, and finally the crying slowed and she rested her head in the crook of his neck, taking slow deep breaths that were frequently interrupted by involuntary shutters of still spasming diaphragm muscles. For all that her emotions tend to run just under her skin, he had never seen her this upset. He squeezed her tightly one more time then pulled her back a bit to look at her.

"Being married to me that bad huh?" He asked, wanting desperately to see her smile once again. She did smile then, and punched him half heartedly in the chest.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm furious with you for keeping this from me, although I do sorta get why you did it." She took a long deep breath, pressing the palms of her hands hard against her eyes before continuing.

"So many choices have been taken from me Dyson...so many things-important things-that I should have been able to decide for myself...gone. And I'll never get them back. Most of my life I have had to survive with events that have happened to me, beyond my control. But this..." She gently took his hand, fingers running over where a wedding band would be. She took a deep breath, trying to reign in another wave of emotions.

"This _I _was supposed to choose. This one thing, I dreamed of my whole life, with all the experiences that should have been beautiful..turned into such ugliness. I had this left. My life was finally coming together and I could still make that moment, marrying a man I trusted and loved, make that my own choice." She interwove her fingers with his, her other hand tangling itself in his hair. "It is not that I am upset that its _you_ Dyson. Never that, I swear. Its just..." She paused, unsure how to continue. He nodded, understanding now her despair. And however much she forgave him, he could not keep the self loathing from creeping into his heart, for his own role in it. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, taking in a deep breath of her familiar scent, finding it helped to center him.

"When you were dying...I couldn't handle the idea that I would loose you before we had a chance, and then after that...I was so happy. This past year, even trapped here in the middle of a war, I have never felt so at home then I do when I am with you. It was selfishness in the end that kept me from telling you. I was afraid that if I told you what I had done, you would turn away from me." A small laugh escaped her then.

"Well we have already discussed how much you are an idiot." She retorted, as she maneuvered to sit in his lap. He laughed out loud, infinitely relieved that she was not screaming from the barn in horror. He turned slightly so he could lean against a support beam and wrapped his arms around her. Her could feel her whole body relaxing.

"You know what I think is the most unfair?" She asked turning her upper body to look up at him. He looked down at her and gave her a quick kiss, tasting beer, and the remnants of tears.

"What's that?"

"The first time we were together, in that cave in the mountains...that was our wedding night, and I didn't even know it." He opened his mouth to object, when he realized she was absolutely right. His face softened, it was such a Kenzi thing to be worried about. Reaching across her with his free hand, he cupped her cheek and pulled her face up to his, kissing her deeply, trying to communicate every ounce of love he could. She turned in his lap to straddle him, wrapping her arms around his neck. The surprising force of his passion causing fresh tears to well at the corners of her eyes, her emotions already were so high. They broke for air with a gasp, his hands resting on her lower back.

"Well, considering this is going to be our last night alone before we probably manage to get ourselves killed on this insane mission, perhaps I should try to make it up to you?" He asked sincerely, his beautiful eyes filled with apprehension for the future, and amazingly, hope. Always hope.

Kenzi smiled, leaning to touch her forehead to his.

"You better."

To Be Continued...


	7. Chapter 7

**The Devil in Me**

By: Venkaskribbles

Note: Hey all! Was on vacation and managed to get some writing in when I wasn't chasing toddlers around on the beach! I understand that this is a bit of a 'filler" chapter, but I tried to keep it interesting! I did alot of perspective changes in this one, and separated it by a line, please let me know if this works or if it is too jarring. Enjoy and please review!

Disclaimer: All this awesome? I don't own it, just borrowing for fun and no profit!

* * *

With a scream of frustration, Bo slid down to her knees into the thick moss at the base of the Elder Sister. After a week of hiking through the deep forest, they had finally found her. As it turned out however, finding her was proving to be the easiest part.

For the fae in their little search party, they knew it was her the moment they set eyes on the tree. The most beautiful old growth willow any of them had ever seen, her ancient trunk was wide and thick, home in itself for dozens of other small animals and birds. The massive silver-tipped leaves gracefully descending from the moisture laden air set it apart from all the other trees, and as the sun set and moonlight kissed the foliage, a soft glow emanated.

At a loss, for the first hour they just talked to the tree, introducing themselves, telling them of their plight and how they needed her assistance. But then Bo began to get irritated and the shouting started, much to Trick's horror. After awhile it became apparent that this particular Norn had spent so long _being_ her tree, she had forgotten how to be aught else. The concerns of those who were slave to time were beyond her now.

Digging her fingers deep into the moss, Bo took slow deep breaths try and calm herself down. Lauren came to sit next to her, Trick taking up on her other side.

"We will figure this out Bo, I promise. Some Fae, they just can't communicate the way we do anymore. Perhaps if we can enlist the aid of a telepath, or perhaps a wood nymph?" She asked looking at Trick for any other suggestions to help calm the extremely agitated Succubus.

Bo shook her head.

"No. Kenzi told me all about the first time they went see the Norn that stole Dyson's love. She was ancient too, and walking and talking just like the rest of us. This one has just been snoozing for so long she has lost her lust for _living_ life and is content to just snooze away her days, I can feel it." She pulled off the gloves she had been wearing to help machete their way through the deep brush to get here. "Its not the same exactly as sexual energy, but I still can see chi more than most can even perceive it. She's at negative four, she's so deep. Let's see if I can change that."

Before anyone could stop her, Bo reached out and touched the tree, the skin of her hand beginning to glow warmly at first, the light transferring to the tree, then quickly diffusing into the bark of the tree. After a long moment with no change, Bo opened her mouth and began to breathe chi into the wood as well.

For almost a solid minute this went on. Bo paled, and began to sag against the tree before Lauren pulled her back and shook her sharply.

"Bo! That is enough!" She yelled, breaking Bo's concentration enough that the flow of Chi stopped.

But not before a long, very audible sigh, almost like a yawn, echoed softy from the roots beneath their feet.

Bo smiled broadly, despite now looking more than a little green.

"I knew it!" She exclaimed softly, sagging against the doctor. Lauren, her fingers resting at the pulse point in Bo's throat ignored the development with the Elder Sister and grabbed Trick's arm tightly.

"Her pulse is incredibly uneven, I'd offer myself for healing, but she may kill me. She is going to need to feed from a fae, and I'm not confident that anyone here is a suitable candidate. We need to get her back to the landing strip, the whole flight crew is fae." She looked first apologetically to Trick, and then leveled her gaze on their other unlikely travel companion.

Vex.

"You got that damn right Doc." Surprisingly, the Dark fae sauntered over to the drained Succubus and gathered her up into his recently healed arms, with more than a little protest from Bo. "Oh can it, Succubunny. The Dark owe you and your merry band more than they want to admit for that nasty business with the Garuda. The Morrigan is a useless bitch, so as much as it makes me want to vomit in my stunning mouth, I'm going to help you make this right."

He shifted her slightly in his arms and started towards the plane.

"Besides when it comes to out of the box thinking, I'm the bloody king."

Trick sighed, not entirely sure he wanted to know what the Mesmer was thinking.

"Please enlighten us."

"Well its entirely clear that Bo here needs to lust up this tree, and needs ample supply of energy to siphon off lest she dry up herself. A certain holiday of yours is in 6 days Blood King. How do you feel about hosing an old school rite? I can't think of a more sacred venue than at the base of possibly the oldest living fae, can you?" He grinned wickedly, already putting together a list of the most lovely honeys he knew.

Trick grinned. He was good at many many things, throwing a true rite was one of them.

* * *

Whoever came up with the phrase the enemy of my enemy is my friend was a Goddamned motherfucking liar.

Kenzi hissed at the bruising grip of the dark fae had on her bare waist. Twisting almost painfully, she managed to grasp a silver platter behind her by the handle, and brought it down on his head with all the weight of her irritation. The fae, not expecting her to fight back, collapsed into a heap at her feet. Pressing her back against the cool stone of the wall, she took a moment to collect herself. Peering around the corner she had a perfect view of the sheer insanity that was the Morrigan's massive hall one story below.

As it turned out, her little band of would be assassins were not the only ones where were planning something nasty for Ishtar. When the Morrigan's own assassination attempt failed, all hell had broken loose.

Fortunately, the bulk of everyone's weapons were sequestered away in the arsenal, and the whole thing had descended into the biggest butter knife fight come bar brawl she had ever seen. To sprinkle on some extra drama the human slaves had decided to take advantage of the chaos to stage a little revolt for their freedom.

Not that she had anything to do with that particular development.

She grinned, a little chaos was good for progress.

Startling her, a handsome kid, dressed in the same embarrassingly scant "uniform" of the Morrigan's serving slaves, came charging down the adjacent stairwell and gave her a nervous smile when he saw the unconscious fae at her feet.

"Hey kid!" He skidded to a halt at her apparently authoritative tone. "Help me strip this dude. I'll take his cloak, but you have dibs on the rest. Steal whatever else you need. Once you get out of this place you are on your own, don't stop running till you get home, do you understand?"

He nodded, eyes wide in horror at the idea of stealing from a fae. The unceremonious way Kenzi kicked the body over however seemed to warm him to the concept, and the two of them made quick work of stripping down the overly burdened noble. Now well equipped to survive, she ushered him on his way.

She took a deep breath and slung the oversized cloak over her shoulders, feeling better when she was less exposed. She ripped the snagged bottom half off and wrapped the long length of fabric repeatedly around her forearm, to give her even the smallest protection from a knife.

Dyson and Bo had been out by the stables when waiting for some of the undercover Kingsguard to overpower the guards in the kitchen and let them into the keep. She wasn't sure how far along that part of the plan had gone before the Morrigan's epic fail.

_~* Kenzi! *~_ Dyson's voice pushed through to the front of her mind with near painful urgency. She winced, but smiled at feeling him so close with her despite the distance. Having perfected speaking with him this way ages ago, she opened her mind to send her reply.

_~* Not quite so loud Kujo, I need to keep my brain ears intact. And before you ask, I am in no way responsible for the clusterfuck you have probably noticed by now. She could feel his mental laughter as his concern retracted when her mind touched his. So I'm going to assume our little secret is out with Bo and Hale? *~_

_~* Who do you think is holding my clothes? We'll figure that out later. What the hell happened? *~_

_~* Much to my surprise the Morrigan's second in command decided to get all stabby on Ishtar's ass. The downside is that she botched it and Ishtar's infamous masked General killed her instead, hence the mayhem. The two upsides however is that demon bitch can bleed Dyson, I saw it with my own two eyes. This scared the shit out of her. I don't think it occurred to her she could be vulnerable here. She and her core guard are trying to get out of the main hall now to make their escape. *~_ Kenzi could feel Dyson's wolf overtake his higher mind for a moment, the blood lust to finish a wounded threat to the pack was dizzying in its intensity, almost palatable on her lips through their mated bond. Her lip was curled up in an involuntarily growl as Dyson returned, and she shook her head to clear it of his instincts.

_~* The other upside? *~_ His mental voice asked, shadowed by the wolf beneath it

_~* Someone is going to have to remind us of our manners when we wake up, cause the Second who got killed is "our" Morrigan_. *~ Dyson laughed.

_~* What manners? *~_

_~* Touché Hubby-mine_. *~ She peered over the edge of the balcony and the good 500 meters of brawling fae, human, and demon she would have to work her way through.

_~* Soooo...in the interest of trying to salvage this mission, as well as collecting your rather scantily clad wife, how about you make your way to the main hall. The biggest brawl I've ever seen just waiting for a can of alpha Dyson. I can almost taste how badly you want to make someone bleed. I'm coming down from the east stairwell behind dais, Ishtar's kinda stuck in the middle inside a ring of her own men. I'll do my best to meet you half way! *~_

_~* Be careful babe, please. I will be with you soon_. *~ She felt his mind nudge against hers, closest that he could manage to an embrace, and then was gone, slipping away as he shifted into human form.

* * *

Within minutes of shifting, Dyson, Bo, and Hale pushed their way into the main hall, where the biggest all out brawl any of them had ever seen was taking place. Enhanced of course by fae powers and the occasional dinner platter, people were doing the best they could to the most damage without any major weaponry. Dyson let out a barking laugh. Kenzi knew him so well, this was going to be glorious. Bo gave him a hard glare.

"Just try to avoid seriously injuring any of the humans, the rest are fair game as far as the King is concerned. She nodded towards the stairwell Kenzi was coming from. Go get your wife, we will work our way towards Ishtar. And don't think you've escaped getting a serious lecture from me about that little development when we are not in mortal peril."

Dyson nodded and took to the crowd, his desire to find Kenzi overruling any larger desire to bash in some dark fae whom he had always disliked, but was never allowed to attack. How cruel was this that he finally had the chance to dish out the pain he had always wanted to against these assholes, but had to play out this little charade.

His claws extended, he dug them deep into the shoulder of a fae who was about to pummel a dark skinned human slave. Her gauze-like outfit in shreds from the fighting. She pressed the advantage he had given her, and jammed a large serving spoon down the fae's throat while he screamed in agony from Dyson's grasp. She gave Dyson a quick nod and disappeared into the crowd. Stepping over the choking, bleeding fae, he caught a glimpse of his mate only because she had managed to jump onto the back of a massive demon who had another human in a choke hold. Armed with what looked to be a large fork, she was repeatedly jamming the dinner utensil into the sensitive flesh of the creature's ear. He could hear the Russian cursing from here. He laughed despite himself at the sight of her being absurdly brave as usual. Seeing Kenzi in all her tiny angry glory made him fall in love with her all over again.

The sight of another demon approaching her from behind was not amusing however, and with a roar he lunged at the creature.

Much to his surprise the demon, despite his large and hulking size, nimbly seized him mid air, long dark claws digging into the muscles of his bicep and hip. As Dyson was being hurtled towards the back wall he noticed a bit late, that the behemoth was wearing some sort of elite squad insignia.

A stone wall came up to kiss the back of his head with surprising velocity.

He must have blacked out for a minute, because when he came too, there was a subtle glowing red sphere in the center of the hall. Weak and malformed, it was pulsing slowly, growing more solid with every blink of dazed sight.

Most of the humans had cleared out, and Bo, standing next to who could only be the Morrigan were shouting orders to form up a legitimate offense against a now mostly solid inner circle of Ishtar's elite guard in the middle of hall. Shaking his head to clear it fully, he could see, the being who could only be that demon bitch. After a year, to finally lay eyes on the thing that had caused so much heartbreak...

She was lithe. Unnaturally so, her skin shock white, with black markings from wrist to the side of her face, just like what had been marring Kenzi's skin. Even though she was kneeling, he could tell that she was tall too.

And appeared to be weaving quite the spell. She was utterly focused on it, bent over at the waist, waves of energy bleeding off of her to bolster the growing dome around them, utterly focused.

And vulnerable.

Her guards knew it though, and performed a protective semicircle around her. He growled and stood, quickly apprizing the best approach. When his sharp eyes caught the one thing noone else had noticed.

Kenzi.

She had acquired a bloody nose and busted upper lip at some point, and a long wicked dagger. It was exactly as she had said two weeks ago along the river. With the guards busy combating the now organized fae, noone even noticed the small quiet human sneaking up on their rear.

As if she could hear his thoughts, their eyes met across the din. Noone else was going to get a better chance than she had right in this moment. Her eyes were hard and resolute, knowing the same truth as he. Killing in the heat of battle was one thing. But Kenzi was about to commit murder. Enemy or not, Kenzi was not a killer, and this would be hard.

But she knew what had to be done, and would not shy away.

He nodded his support and began to try and move as close to her as he could get, even if she did succeed, the moments immediately after would be the most perilous. After coming so far there was no way he was going to lose her now.

* * *

Kenzi crouched low and slipped inside the energy bubble, half expecting to bounce off of it as she did. Instead, the second she passed through, for a moment she saw a different place, a massive stone clad circular library with a great domed ceiling. A moment later her stomach pulled nauseatingly downward, as if it was being tugged elsewhere when the rest of her was stuck here.

Teleportation. That's what Ishtar was up too. In a moment, she would be beyond their reach, possibly forever.

Expelling a long breath she had not even realized she was holding she eased closer to Ishtar, mere feet away from exposed focused back. She crouched lower, grip tightening on the hilt of her dagger.

One...two...

A crushing grip choked the air out of her, lifting her into the air.

Dagger clattering to the floor. The skull mask of Ishtar's general came into her darkening vision as she grasped desperately at his crushing grip on her throat. He was laughing.

"Oh, I was hoping we would see each other again...so very close to achieving your goal, but as usual, falling so far under expectations."

Not even trying to understand him, focusing instead on getting the fuck out, she kicked violently at his groin region and was rewarded for her efforts by being dropped on her ass.

She dragged in a painful breath as she sprinted towards the outer circle of guards, hoping desperately she could slip through before...an iron grip clamped down on her hair, yanking her backwards. She took another desperate deep breath and screamed.

"DYSON...TELEPORT!" A massive crushing arm clamped down around her chest dispelling all the air she had left along with any chance of escape.

* * *

The moment he saw the masked general close in on Kenzi, Dyson broke cover and charged towards the energy bubble. He could feel his skin prickle and goosebump as he approached the energy, and his stomach lurched as he charged across the threshold, getting tackled by two elite guards at once. He could hear both Kenzi and Bo screaming at him at the very moment the whole world blinked out of existence.

* * *

With a horrible tearing sound and a gut-wrenching nausea, the entire bubble enclosed group appeared in the middle of a massive stone library.

Kenzi watched, still crushed against the chest of her captor as Dyson sprung into action while the guards were still off balance. It was rare that she often had the chance to see him in action without having some ass kicking of her own to do. He was the most beautifully deadly creature she had ever seen. His movements were pure instinct and power as he moved with the single purpose of trying to get them free. He snapped the neck of the still recovering guard closest to him, he quickly moved to the next, snatching up the dagger he had in his hand. Flipping the blade in his grip, he buried it in the creature's heart, wrenching it back out before the demon even realized he had been disarmed.

Kenzi looked over to see Ishtar being gathered to her feet by newly arrived servants and a whole host of fresh guards wearing the same insignia. Wrapping her in heavy blankets, they whisked her away. They were clearly somewhere where there was plenty of backup to be had. Her Keep.

Kenzi's heart sank. No matter how great an effort her love put in, even he had his limits.

A eerily familiar chuckle emitted from behind the bleached skull mask of the General.

"Cut it out you fool." He cautioned Dyson, his tone equal parts amused and annoyed at his underlings being cut out. "This is a waste." But Dyson continued undeterred, another guard hitting the ground.

The General sighed, and leveled his masked gaze on Kenzi, eyes narrowing.

"Lets get his attention, shall we my Angel?"

Kenzi's heart froze...that voice...

"Break her wrist."

Before she had a moment to process the words he had spoken, pure agony shot up her arm as a scream ripped from her throat, knees buckling. Gasping cries she could not control made it hard to breathe, and only the demon's arm across her chest kept her from falling as he released her arm, hand now twisted at a gruesome angle.

Dyson drew up short instantly at his Mate's agonized scream, giving the guard behind him the moment he needed to club him viciously on the back of his head, driving him to his knees.

Dazed, there were runed shackles on his wrists and feet before he regained his senses, glowing when they clamped shut. He cried out at the burning pain of the magic in the restraints as he could feel them suppressing his Wolf.

Enraged, he tried to break his bonds, but found they held fast. Short chained leads held by two guards on each side pulled his arms taunt, nearly wrenching his shoulders out of their sockets. A single furious howl pulled from his lips, black fading from his eyes as the chains prevented him from shifting. For a long minute, the only sounds were of him struggling furiously to get free, and Kenzi's rapid breathing as she tried to get control of the pain pouring through her wrist and hand.

Finally, Dyson's struggling ceased as he leveled his gaze General first, eyes full of palatable hate.

But then he turned Kenzi, his eyes softening his beautiful blue, filled with equal parts love and worry...apology.

Kenzi, tears streaming down her face, nodded.

"I love you." She whispered.

A condescending laugh echoed in the massive chamber that enclosed them. The General stepped between them, blocking her view. A gloved hand reached out and traced the curve of her mouth. An appreciative sound came rumbling out from behind his mask.

"My, my, my little Angel. How you have grown."

The hand moved to the chin of the skull and flipped the mask upward.

Revealing the face of her step-father.

* * *

To be continued...

Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

**The Devil In Me **

By: Venkaskribbles

Note: Hey everyone! Getting close to the end here, one more chapter after this one! I've already started working on it so my goal is to have the whole story done by this weekend or the end of the week at the latest. Which will have to happen after the way I have (horribly) ended this chapter. It's a mean cliffhanger. I'm ALMOST sorry I left it the way I did, except now I know I have to finish this thing quickly or you all will probably kill me. Just remember, I LOVE Kenzi&Dyson and I am a hopeless romantic with a sucker for happy endings. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: None of the awesomeness that is the Lost Girl Characters/Story belong to me! I'm just borrowing them for some fun!

* * *

Ishtar sat up slowly, keenly aware that her pathetically weak form was still recovering from casting that spell. For two full days she had been unable to even rise from bed, held captive by this farce she was forced to endure. Another day to take a feed that had been brought to her, providing a fledgling amount of strength.

This whole situation was utterly unacceptable.

Moments, she had been mere moments away from absorbing the last of that pathetic husk and manifesting into her own form, using the cellular debris to reform into her own glorious body. And then she was going to have some fun before going to find that bitch the Norn and make her pay for her trickery.

And then, inexplicably, she had found herself here, it this odd little world. Infuriatingly powerless on top of all of it. Powerless for an Old One, which apparently was still enough to maintain power in this land she found herself ruler of.

Growling, she swung her legs over the side of her massive canopied bed, pleased to see her the trebling slave in the corner, awaiting orders. Gesturing sharply to the human, she grabbed her arm sharply and sunk her fangs deep into the fragile flesh, savoring the sweet taste of blood that welled beneath her fangs. Drinking deeply, she could feel some of the weakness leaving her limbs. Stopping, she licked the wound once, causing the flesh to heal rapidly. She would feed fully from one of the prisoners later, this one had a lovely talent with her hair she was not willing to discard just yet.

"Send for Sergei. My bath?"

"Ready my lady" Came the instant reply, voice whisper soft. Ishtar nodded and stood, her ichor hair trailing the floor behind her as she moved to the massive bathing room adjoining her quarters. A bed of coals were spread beneath the massive iron tub, containing water rolling at a gentle boil. Yes, this human had been trained well. It was one things she would miss when she found a way out of this horrid little ruse.

Sinking into the deep water of the tub she sighed, feeling the tension and ache from her gamble with the Dark Fae easing away. It used to be so easy to get what she wanted, why did everything have to be so complicated now? Too many insects roaming the earth, free from proper management. It was no wonder everything was such a mess. She took a deep breath, hearing the footsteps of her General as they approached her room. The solitary human she kept from her slave galley because of his impressive ability to talk his way out of a situation, and the one promise he owed her to keep his life.

"Tell me, my delightfully wicked Sergei, was our little gamble a success?" She asked, her voice a deceptively enticing velvet. The man, well inside their capable defenses, wore only leather trousers and a cotton shirt. He was somewhat handsome in the human fashion, but any of the beauty of his youth was squandered by a hard life. But that delicious smile of his, so full of deceit...even Ishtar had to appreciate that smile.

"It did my Lady. My bitch of a stepdaughter and the Shifter took the bait and are in your dungeons, as requested. I have kept them apart, and she is downwind of his cell on the other side of the prisons, so they are unaware of eachother's condition." He offered with a small bow of his head. Ishtar smiled and sighed, surprised to feel that she was relived to finally after over a year of searching for her host, to have her securely in hand. Perhaps she could finally get the answers she wanted. Something gave her pause.

"And what condition is the human in?" She inquired her voice taking on a ghost of a razor's edge, thinking of the fury Sergei had for his for his stepdaughter who ruined his-admittedly clever-plan to seize the Dhalian throne. Sergei chuckled and waved a hand aside.

"She is well enough my Lady. A broken wrist was required to get the Wolf's attention. She and I had a few conversations that may have exchanged a few choice words... and a few choice fists. But she is alive and still well enough to ask after the Wolf...with annoying frequency actually."

Ishtar nodded, pleased with his restraint. "The Wolf?"

"Ah." Sergei smile. "May the Lady forgive, I have been having a bit of fun with him, after seeing your games with some of the prisoners...I was inspired. From our intelligence, he is quite old and battle hardened. Not a man swayed by pain I think. So I had the Mute serve occasional meals and water to conceal any news of my daughter. I did however drop the Morrigan' slave outfit she had been wearing in the slot of his door, covered in her blood." Sergei chuckled. "His response to _that _proved particularly hysterical." Ishtar's brow went up, genuinely surprised at the brilliant cruelty he was beginning to understand. She could taste it in the air he expelled. Beautiful.

"Forgive? I am pleased. I have a suspicion regarding those two, and such tension will only serve to answer my questions more quickly if I am to solve a particular mystery that has been driving me to distraction." She stood, the prospect of instilling some pain in those who had thwarted her was making her feel better than she had in over a year. Still boiling water rolled off her alabaster skin as she stepped out of the tub, catching Sergei's eyes roaming her naked form, his arousal at her beauty disgusting her.

In the mere blink of an eye she had him pinned to a wall, long fingers wrapped completely around his throat, choking the lust from him.

"Let us be clear on one thing Sergei. While I am occasionally impressed with the human capacity for cruelty, NEVER for a moment delude yourself that you are worth anything more than the blood in my mouth, or the dust at my feet." She squeezed tighter, feeling she was merely a pound of pressure away from snapping his neck. He gagged, his eyes bulging. Releasing him, he collapsed to the floor in a heap.

Trusting her point had been made she strode to her room, seeing her gown and a few pieces of jewelry had been laid out. Dressing quickly, she brushed aside the slave who stood ready to perform her craft on her long locks.

Vanity would wait. She wanted answers.

"Throw them in together for a bit. The groundwork you have laid will serve my purposes nicely. I want to know as much as I can before I speak with them myself."

Sergei dragged himself to his feet and cobbled together a bow as he stumbled from her chambers. She took in a deep slow breath. She had been stuck in that bottle for over a thousand years...and she ached to walk upon this new modern world she had glimpsed only briefly through the Husk's eyes. But she would not loose her chance by being rash, there was much going on she did not understand about how they got to their current state. She would know soon. Even if she had to skin these worthless pieces of meat an inch at a time.

* * *

Dyson stirred from the shallow sleep he had managed to discipline himself to take despite the chains around his wrists and ankles keeping him from assuming anything remotely comfortable. It was near complete darkness in the cell even for his dark-keen eyes. Duller now with his wolf suppressed, fae eyes were still superior to their human counterparts in that regard. He couldn't be sure, two possibly three days had passed since they had been caught up in the teleportation spell and dragged into what could only be Ishtar's keep in the North.

A sickening twist of worry and fury pinched his empty stomach as the sight of his Mate being dragged away from him, face a mask of agony at the pain in her arm ran through his mind. With his Wolf suppressed, he could not sense her no matter how hard he tried. Not through smell or sound could he glean the slightest hint to if she was well, and the fear and rage were making him more ill than the sickness caused from his wolf being locked away inside of him.

His hands clenched tightly around the scraps of fabric that Kenzi had last been wearing, tossed at him days ago but the laughing face of her stepfather. Rage, pure and hot raced through his veins at the thought of how this bloody garment had come to pass. The memories of the things that man had done to child-Kenzi in the real world raced through his mind. It had taken her so long to allow herself to share that horror with him, allowing him into her memories as his wolf shape curled around her, promising safety. To think that she was in his hands again...and he was useless to aid her was maddening. Letting out a long slow breath, he tried to calm down as he set himself to his task.

It was not the first time he had been in prison. The key to not losing your mind was to find something to keep you busy. In this case he had managed to find a small stone that he was using to scrape at the runes on his wrist manacle. He hoped that if he was able to degrade it enough, the spell would be nullified to. If he could just regain access to his Wolf and shift, he would be able to get his paws out of these bonds.

He had been focused on his task for several long minutes when he heard movement outside his cell. Booted feet and a stumbling shuffle...a prisoner being moved.

And then he heard the sweetest sound he could remember hearing in recent memory.

Gloriously_ furious_ Russian.

Before he knew what was happening, the door to his cell was yanked open and a still struggling Kenzi was practically tossed unceremoniously in his direction. A single torch was jammed into a wall receptacle, and the door was once again slammed shut.

Her feet cobbled by chains, the shove caused her to trip and fall. His arms had just enough play in the chains to catch her mere inches from the ground, fingers digging into the rough cotton of the shift she wore. She continued to struggle momentarily, her hair and sudden change in light levels hindering her sight.

"Kenzi!" He whispered loudly, not realizing how much as voice had fled from disuse. Changing his grip more solidly around her shoulders, he pushed her hair off of her face so she could see that it was him.

Wolf or no, he growled when he got a clear look at her face in the torchlight. Her left eye was swollen shut, and blood crusted on her nose and mouth, a barely healed tear in her lip split anew with the massive warm smile that spread across her bruised and beaten face at the sight of him. With a grateful laugh choked with sobs she lunged forward on her knees to throw her arms, one crudely bandaged, around his neck. He couldn't hold back his own emotion as he hugged her tightly against him. The feeling of her in his arms was so sweet he could almost taste it.

"Dyson! Thank God you are alive! I was so afraid that they...Sergei only wanted to know about Dhal and the army, and refused to tell me anything about where you were. I..." She sat back on her heels, resting her broken wrist on her lap. "I couldn't feel our bond, and I thought..." Her voice began to raise in pitch it took right before she was about to cry.

He shook his head, hand resting gently on the side of her head, fingers feeling the crusted blood matting the hair on the back of her head. His heart pounded furiously against his chest, threatening to break his ribs at anger burning through his veins. He had temper, he knew it. But he was not sure he had ever _truly_ felt this much hate seething through him. He brought her head to his, resting his forehead against hers. Licking gently at the blood her her lip, he kissed her softly, trying to reassure her as much as he could that they were alive. Just having her skin touch his began to slow is rage, purely out of concern his anger could harm her. She had always had that effect on him.

After a moment he let out a slow shuttering breath, feeling calm enough to speak. He shook a manacle.

"Its these things. The runes on them suppress fae nature, make us effectively human...powerless. As my Mate you are tied to my soul always, but what lets you feel me like you can...thats the Wolf. I've been trying to scratch off a rune to disrupt its spell, but I've only had this little pebble...its not been going all that quickly. I need something sharper to scratch through this spelled metal."

She nodded, understanding. Letting out a breath she seemed suddenly deflated, and so painfully small. He knew that she was just allowing her body to relax, truly acknowledge the pain and exhaustion that he could read clearly in ever fiber of her body. With as wholly unsafe as they were, she couldn't help but relax in his presence, feel safe.

Shuffling awkwardly with her cobbled feet and one good arm, she maneuvered into his arms and curled into his chest. For a long moment she didn't say anything, just made that content little sigh that she did when she was curled inside of him. That sound always made him melt a little inside, that just being close could make her so happy.

She took a breath to say something, but faltered. A few seconds passed before she tried again.

"I'm not giving up." She looked up at him, her one un-swollen eye was surprisingly hard and resolute, despite her exhaustion. "Just to be clear, giving up is never on my agenda...But I'm scared Dyson, like hysterically scared. How...how do we survive this?"

It was an honest question that he didn't know the answer to. He was about to speak when the cell door opened abruptly. Instinctively he wrapped as much of himself around Kenzi as he could, trying to hide her, as absurd as that was.

"The answer is simple human. You don't. How you feel about the issue is irrelevant." Ishtar's haunting voice entered the cell well before she did, sliding from the shadows with a disturbingly pleasant smile on her beautiful alien face. She tilted her head to the side trying to discern where Kenzi started and Dyson ended.

"It is so good to finally meet you two in person as it were. I must commend you. I have never in my entire existence had such a hard time possessing anyone. It's actually impressive how much you have infuriated me over the past year." She stepped close to Dyson, in the range of his hands.

He reacted before he thought, lashing out at her face the second she got close enough.

Her own clawed hands grabbed his wrists mid-swing, prying open his grasp on Kenzi easily. She gestured with her chin to the figure in the shadowed doorway to enter.

Sergei sauntered in with a chuckle and grabbed Kenzi by the collar of her shift, yanking her violently away. Pulling her to the other side of the cell he wrenched her good arm around behind her back, pinning it between them as his other arm wrapped across her throat, holding her tight against him.

Dyson launched to his feet, straining against his bonds.

Ishtar took a few casual steps back, her breath even and calm as if nothing alarming had transpired. Gaze moved slowly from his head to toes in appreciative manner, she hummed softly to herself.

Kenzi didn't struggle in Sergei's grasp, she knew that doing so would only cause him to hold her tighter.

After several moments of Ishtar silently apprizing Dyson, she did something even more unsettling.

She giggled.

Holding her hand up, long black claws slowly extended from her fingertips. She tapped Dyson's manacles playfully.

"Being trapped in such a weak, useless form is infuriating isn't it?" She asked sweetly.

Dyson, remained silent, his eyes boring holes of pure hate into her.

Her lip twitched as the facade slipped. With a scream she raked her claws across his chest.

"ISN"T IT?" She screamed, her face changing into a more feral visage for an instant in her rage.

With a yell to dispel the pain, Dyson shook his head sharply to clear his red vision. Leaning tightly against his bonds, feeling them cut slowly into his skin, he spoke.

"Yes." Came his simple reply, heavy with the implied desire to inflict pain on this creature that had caused so much anguish.

Pleased, she reached out out with a single finger and scraped some of his blood onto a claw.

"Try to imagine what it feels like to be me. I walked on this world it was still feral and young. Untamed the glory of the hunt, the blood of my foes rich in my mouth. Great demons and monsters now lost to even legend..." She closed her eyes, lost in memory for a moment. "The grace of my powers diminished...I was so close to freedom when you two somehow managed to ruin it."

She took several steps towards Kenzi, causing Dyson to strain harder against his bonds.

"Something that I will be sure to repay you for."

Her hand flashed out quickly and Kenzi jumped, unsure where she had struck, the moment was so quick. A thin line of blood slowly appeared on her collarbone.

Rubbing her two claws together to mingle the blood she had collected, she stepped between them, chanting in words that neither Kenzi nor Dyson recognized. Dyson could feel a soft pull in his chest that was not entirely unpleasant, and he could tell from Kenzi's small gasp, she was experiencing the same.

A thin amber wisp of energy spiraled slowly from his chest, moving towards Ishtar's extended claws. Kenzi's own energy was a cool silver-blue, moving as straight as an arrow towards his own energy. It was beautiful in a haunting way, as the gas-like strands met in the middle, flaring brightly as they began to intertwine in almost a joyous way.

"How surprising. If I couldn't see it for myself I never would have imagined a fae would take a human as a Mate. How modern of you. " She commented honestly, regarding first Dyson and then Kenzi. For a long moment she just stared at the glowing whisps of energy suspended in the air. Making a thoughtful noise she whispered a long series of words in her own ancient tongue, and pricked her own finger with a claw and added a drop of blood to the energy gathered in center. Kenzi hissed immediately as a painful twinge in her chest produced a thin thread of energy so black it drew light from Kenzi's silver-blue, traveling along to the center. The moment it touched the joined energy, it flared violently, turning the vibrant light a inky dark before it traveled quickly to Dyson.

With an unnerving squeal of joy, Ishtar clapped her hands triumphantly. The motion dispelled the energy, leaving the room darker, reliant on the single torch once again. She leveled her gaze on Dyson.

"What the hell was that?" Dyson asked, his voice flat and eyes focused on her every movement. Ishtar made a flippant noise.

"Merely a visualization spell. It allows a true magic user to see a spell before wasting energy on executing one. It means Wolf, that instead of this weak human husk, the bond that you have been kind enough to make with her is strong enough for me to improve my housing options." She tapped on her chin thoughtfully. "What is that phrase I learned when running around in that busy little brain of yours Kenzi?...Ah! Location, location location!" She squeezed her shoulders up in glee.

"In all my years it has never been a fae who I possessed. If I can take you over in this deamscape...I can easily get out of this infuriating little game of the Fosseigrim. The idea I could use you...a shifter in his prime..." She shivered in pleasure.

"Don't you touch him!" Kenzi yelled. Digging the fingers of her broken hand into Sergei's forearm at her throat. The idea of something like Ishtar taking someone like her Dyson and twisting him into something so hateful and evil terrified Kenzi. Someone who had always prided himself on justice...doing what was right was at the core of who Dyson was. That she could turn him into a murderer...

Ishtar smiled, finding Kenzi's fear invigorating. Taking several steps towards the human she leaned in to get a closer look at the extent of her injuries. The human was beyond exhausted, only heightened emotion was keeping her awake now. There was however plenty of screaming left in her. No amount of torture of his own person would ever weaken Dyson's mind enough for her to enter him directly in this dreamscape. However if his soul was in enough despair, perhaps...

She held up a single finger and watched as her nail extended into a long razor sharp needle. With a gentle caress, she ran her other hand down Kenzi's side, feeling her frame beneath the sack she wore. Her thumb rested in a slight indentation on her hip.

"With as much time as I have spent ripping apart human bodies, nevermind all the delicious insights you gleen from possessing them, I've developed quite a few talents. I wonder Dyson...how long you will be able to refuse me as I take apart your soul in front of your very eyes?" She asked sweetly.

Without warning she slid the needle-claw into the nerve cluster deep in Kenzi's hip.

Liquid pain shot through her as her whole left side blossomed in absolute perfect agony. She collapsed instantly, causing her to choke in Sergei's unrelenting grasp, cutting off the scream she didn't even know was ripped from her lungs. Somewhere outside of herself she could hear Dyson screaming, but it was several long moments before coherent thought could even form in her pain suffused mind.

Sergei had shifted his grip lower, to her waist to keep her upright, as she became aware again. Long slow breaths. Keep breathing. Be strong, be strong.

Finally, she could think again. Ishtar was talking, she was standing even closer to her now. Its funny how when you are trying to focus on getting a handle on pain, you tend to fixate on a single detail...as if your vision can't process more than one image while your body adjusts to the pain.

A diamond. A massive, marquise-cut diamond sat nestled in the hollow of Ishtar's throat.

Long slow breaths. Yes, her brain was starting to work again.

Ishtar was taunting.

_God, this bitch had to go._

Squeezing her eyes shut to focus them, she finally leveled her gaze on Dyson. Her beautiful wolf.

What she saw in that moment broke her heart.

The despair there was so profound. For all the things that Dyson could endure, watching Ishtar slowly kill her would be his undoing. In that horrible moment, Kenzi knew that he would break.

Ishtar would take him and awaken in the real world, killing everyone she loved.

_No._

_NO._

In his haste to keep her upright, Sergei had released his grip on her good arm.

She laughed, feeling like sanity might really have fled her for what she was about to do. She straightened as much as she could, leaning her head back against Sergei's chest.

The look of utter confusion on Ishtar's face was priceless, making Kenzi laugh even harder. She swallowed down her hysteria and took a deep calming breath.

"You stupid bitch, you just don't fucking get it do you? You really think you can destroy love don't you? That cruelty somehow makes you big, strong? The truth is, the truth that a loveless one like you will never get, is that no matter what you do to me, or to Dyson, you'll never really touch _us." _

She turned her head slightly so she could see Dyson clearly. She gave him the warmest smile she could manage. And then winked.

"Hey love. Do me a favor?"

That beautiful face was so confused, but his answer was immediate, instinctive.

"Anything."

"Make it count."

Ishtar, beyond annoyed, grabbed the collar of Kenzi's shift, all the claws on her free hand extending into long knives.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" She demanded, shaking Kenzi to punctuate each word.

A slow smile crossed Kenzi's face, she flexed the fingers of her good hand one more time.

"Nice necklace."

With every ounce of skill and speed gained from a life dependent on theft, she lifted the diamond, and in the same fluid motion threw the fire-glinting stone at Dyson.

Her eyes were so focused on the gorgeous smile that spread on his face as he plucked the stone from the air, knowing instantly its purpose, that she was utterly surprised by the sickening impact.

She looked down and saw Ishtar's claws buried deep into her chest.

She didn't realize it was possible that you could feel someone holding you heart inside your ribs.

Grey fur, fangs and claws swam in her vision. With a bright splash of blood, the pressure in her heart was suddenly gone.

The iron-stink of blood filled her nose. Retribution and furious death, the sound of screaming and rage, and a growl so menacing it would haunt her forever vibrated in her very bones. The sounds of Ishtar and Sergei's screams as they were utterly ripped asunder filled her ears as she sank into the earth beneath her.

Warmth began to spread across her back with each failing beat of her great heart, darkness closing in.

Suddenly, she could see Dyson's blood covered face swimming in her narrowing vision, twisted in a horrible mask of grief. He was saying something, screaming it. She could see the desperate motion of his lips, but no sound was registering. Those same lips that had whispered so many beautiful things in her ear in the deep of the night, their bodies tangled in love.

She tried to force herself to speak, but she couldn't draw breath. Something was horribly broken.

Sound was beyond her now.

She felt herself began to fall, but she couldn't tell if it was downwards, or upwards. She tried to hold on to Dyson's face, to stay...but the darkness reached up and enveloped her with the infinite softness of a deep fog.

Inescapable and absolute, the world blinked to black.

To Be Concluded...


	9. Chapter 9

Note: Thank you all so much for following along on this tale. Like I said it had been years since I had written any fic and it was a blast getting back into it. It took Denzi to inspire me! Thank you again so much, please enjoy the last chapter and epilogue!

Disclaimer: None of the awesomeness that is the Lost GIrl Characters/Story belong to me! I'm just borrowing them for some fun!

* * *

Weightless, Kenzi settled peacefully in the darkness.

It was warm, and comforting...she tried to pull together coherent thought...she felt like she should be upset about something, but she couldn't pull together the thoughts to tell her why. Like waking up crying from a dream that you can't quite remember. The profound need to rest suffused every thought.

"Not yet dear one." Came a beautiful female voice, echoing deep inside Kenzi's bones, the motherly sound stirring her out of her half sleep. While she was not overtly aware of wearing clothing, a gentle and insistent tug at the back of her shirt began to pull her upwards.

Kenzi turned towards the sound, looking towards the lightening darkness for the source.

Much to her surprise she found a massive wolf's muzzle clamped with a sure grip on her neckline, as if she were a tired puppy, dragging her through the thick darkness.

With a yelp of utter surprise at the sight, her sudden startled movement helped to shake some of the lethargy from her senses, she found herself standing ankle deep in a massive pool...almost like the Fossegrim's cave...but not quite. Thick grey mist obscured the edges of her vision.

The great Wolf stepped around from behind and stood infront of Kenzi, massive paws somehow managing to stand atop the waters of the pool. Her coat was so white that the air around her glowed, and when Kenzi tried to look closer, it was if the fur itself was made of crushed diamond, glinting despite the lack of any other source of light.

"Who are you?" She asked quietly, testing her voice. The sound of it was haunting, echoing off of surfaces hidden in the mists from her sight. "What is this place?"

The wolf huffed in the way Dyson did when he was laughing, nudging Kenzi in the belly with her great wet nose.

Dyson...

It all came back to her in a rush, Ishtar, the Fossegrim's cave, her _husband_ Dyson...

"Oh..." She leaned forward against the Wolf as the weight of her grief nearly crushed her. Her shoulders shook silently with tears she didn't seem able to shed.

The She-Wolf stood still, allowing Kenzi the support she needed while she gathered herself. After a few moments a massive white muzzle nudged her again gently.

"Do not despair. This is not yet your final story. There are many great tasks yet ahead of my beloved son, and he cannot achieve them without his Mate by his side." She took a step back and sat on her haunches, still allowing her to look Kenzi directly in the eye.

"My true name has been lost to my memory, but my children call me the Wolf Sprit. It was only here in this moment could I find a way to speak with you, you are not one of my children, nor are you fae. But here in this space when you are so close to death could I gain audience with one of Gaia's children.

Kenzi nodded, having heard Dyson speak many times of the Wolf Sprit. In all the times he had spoken of her, he had never mentioned _seeing _her. She weaved her fingers into the fur at the ruff of her neck out of habit, it was something she had done countless times with Dyson.

"I would give anything to stay with him. But how can I help Dyson now...I'm dead. Or my brain is and my body is about to get booted from the pool...or something like that." She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, almost hoping that simple action could wake her from a dream. "I'm loosing track of where I am. Its like faeland meets Inception."

The wolf snorted.

"You have five heartbeats left. A lifetime of space for us to speak plainly. Dyson has many great things ahead of him, and against all sanity, you have won his love. Your loyalty to my son, and wider still to your friends within the fae is unmatched by any human I can recall in my very long memory. Of even greater import...you have impressed me Kenzi. Your heart and tenacity have stirred life anew within Dyson, and it warms me to think of it.

"I have spoken with Elder Sister, and she agrees. What approaches...the fae will desperately need loyal human allies. In this future I have forseen my son will play a critical role, but if he were to loose you now, none all those things will come to pass. Without you, he will diminish and allow himself to be consumed by his darker nature."

"It is a wasted future that I cannot abide."

Kenzi felt the warmth of tears slipping down her face, and was surprised when the Wolf Sprit leaned in for her to rub them away, her wet nose warm and soft as down feathers. Kenzi took a shuttering breath.

"I would stay with him. You know I would, for as long as I can. But..." She felt the weight of the darkness closing in on her slowly once as the water rose to her knees. "I'm just so tired."

The Wolf Sprit nodded her great head.

"To run with a wolf, no matter how strong your will or love is, you must be more than you are now to keep up with my son." The water continued to rise slowly, creeping up to mid-thigh.

"You are at the end of your strength human, so the answer is simple. I will share some of mine."

She placed a massive paw on Kenzi's shoulder, the weight of it taking all of her strength to remain standing. An uncomfortable sensation of burning heat and freezing cold seeped into her skin, deep into her muscles as it burned its way through her veins. She could feel the water had reached her waist. The Wolf Sprit was now towering over her, with that disconcerting smile wolves seemed to be able to produce.

With no further warning, she shoved Kenzi beneath the surface of the water.

* * *

The moment he had pulled his mate's bloodless body into his arms he knew that she was beyond any hope of surviving. The damage was too great.

She had known, Gods...she knew she was about to die, and still was so very brave...

She was finally done saving him. Ishtar's blood still filled his mouth, that monster that would have consumed so many of those they loved... His beautiful brave Kenzi had done it again...she had saved them all. And it had cost her everything. It had cost him everything.

A howl of rage ripped through him, dragging sandpaper over his tortured vocal chords, the sound straining his ribs with the power of his grief.

How could this happen? He was the fighter, the protector. How could this have been the way their story ended? It should have been him him...How could she leave him behind like that?

With a choked sob, he closed her sightless eyes and tried in vain to wipe some of the blood off her face, but only managed to add more. The sight of her, so broken and coated in the gore of the monsters he had gleefully murdered only moments before, caused something in him to break. This wasn't right. This couldn't be right.

She should be curled up on her couch playing her favorite video games and stuffing her face with an improbable volume of pizza. She should be giving him shit about something. She should shivering in pleasure beneath his touch...

Not this, anything but this...

Crushing her inside of his embrace, he began to rock slowly back and forth as he could feel the last spasms of her shattered heart slow, long seconds between each of the final beats of a life he had come to cherish more than his own.

His knees were cold.

Head lifting to look over Kenzi's head, he could see water was flooding into the cell at what should have been an alarming pace.

He watched it without emotion, not able to find the strength left to care what new nonsense was going on.

The water climbed quickly, up to his waist, then chest. The frigid waters were fresh and clean, washing the blood away.

A almost familiar sound echoed in the distance, just out his range to hear.

The sound was laced with urgency...a woman's voice.

She sounded.._.pissed._ The scream game again. Closer.

But this time he could make out words.

"I swear to God Dyson if you don't wake the hell up I'm never going to forgive you!

Bo...it was Bo's voice. She sounded really really pissed. Not scared or sad or grieving. But _pissed. _There could be only one reason for that...

They had done it...the must have found the Elder Sister...why else...

He felt his mind return to him them, the slimmest of hopes launching him into action.

He clenched Kenzi closer still as the water rose to his shoulders and they began to float. His fingers laced into Kenzi's hands, squeezing them tightly he began to tread water. The ceiling of the cell was inches away...they would under in mere seconds.

He could still remember her. He still knew who she was. She was his true mate, his wife, his best friend. She had sacrificed everything to make sure he could save everyone they cared about from a demon.

And she had done it with a wink a smile.

All he had to do was to hold on to her for just a few moments longer...

"BO!" He screamed as the water sealed them into the stone tomb.

* * *

Strong hands pulled him from beneath the water into the warm air of the real world. Choking, a series of hearty slaps pounded on his back, expelling the liquid from his lungs.

Finally able to take a deep breath, his vision began to clear as he shook his head to clear his ears. It took only the space of two heart beats to remember...his hands were empty...

"Kenzi!"

He lunged forward, trying to get his feet under him, but found his movements uncoordinated. Moreover, the strong arm of his partner pulled him back to his knees, leaning him back against Hale's chest.

"She's safe D, you need to stay very still for just a bit longer." Hale whispered loudly, arm locking Dyson into place, allowing him to remain above water comfortably. Bo's hand slipped over his and gave it a strong squeeze.

"Look."

She nodded over her shoulder.

Dyson followed her gaze suddenly realizing that the warm white light that was illuminating the cavern was not coming from any torch or lamp. It was coming from the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Tall with long willowy limbs, her flesh was true alabaster as it glowed from within her very being, the light seeping into the darkness around her. She was without clothes, her silken silver hair falling from her the crown of her towering height down into the dark water of the pool, cover vast swaths of her flesh. Her elvish like features where haunting in their beauty, almost uncomfortable to look at.

Lean arms were held aloft in front of her, as a soft glow of energy seeped from her fingertips as she held Kenzi in suspension above the water. Wearing the same scrubs she had been the moment the had been submerged, Kenzi's arms and hair dangled beneath her, utterly limp and still.

Dyson began to struggle at the sight of her unmoving, but Hale held him fast.

"Dyson, please just...wait. She's not someone you interrupt." He pressed his palm against Dyson's chest, getting an idea that would calm his friend. "Listen...you should be able to hear her heartbeat right?

Dyson focused for a moment, disciplining his mind to pare away the other sounds in the room...for the first time he realized just how many people were here...a massive contingent of fae were so close by either just outside the cell or along the hallways...what had they had to do to get the Elder Sister

Finally after a moment he was able to tune out the multitude and focus on that beautifully familiar sound.

Kenzi's heart beating fiercely within her chest.

He let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, accepting Hale's support. Seeing his friend was not likely to interrupt, the Siren helped him to his feet. Their eyes focused on the Elder Sister's efforts with Kenzi.

The light in the room was increasing as her ethereal features focused on the task before her, hands touching lightly along Kenzi's marred skin, the markings of Ishtar beginning to fade away. A curious brow raised on the ancient Fae's ageless face. She seemed surprised by something, but whatever it was, it pleased her as a brilliant smile broke out across her face.

As the black markings retreated from Kenzi's skin, it became quickly apparent that there was something that remained. Something entirely new.

A massive silver paw print was emblazoned on Kenzi's shoulder, the skin slightly raised as if it were a brand. Descending from the claws of the print, down the length of her arm to her elbow were four lines of Lycan runes. Dyson felt his heart freeze...those words...the only one that could write them, that had such power to invoke...

"Wolf.

The Elder Sister's voice burned in his mind, he was not entirely sure she had spoken aloud. He found himself responding to the authority immediately. He took a two steps forward, the water just above his knees.

"Explain...how was such evil defeated? My duty here was practically complete. I have safely withdrawn the essence of Ishtar..." She held her hand out to reveal a massive smooth onyx stone. "But there was no resistance, no life." She turned her hand and let the stone drop unremarked into dark waters

Dyson took a step closer, inches away from Kenzi. He looked down at her, needing to see her to reassure himself as his hand came to rest on her forehead, brushing wet bangs off her face. Her eyes were closed, but she looked peaceful, deep asleep. Not a single bruise or wound or broken bone marred her body. His took a slow breath and looked back up at the Elder Sister.

"It was something I had not expected...when I took this gamble. The Fossigrmim was able to extract Ishtar's mind from Kenzi while he fed on our dreams. Made her just as much a part of the dream tale he forced us to live out to sustain him. For well over a year in that world...we fought with Ishtar and the forces he gave for her to command."

In the end...Kenzi gave her life to give me a single chance..." His free hand clenched in a fist, as the memory of demon blood washed through him. He released a long breath. "I killed Ishtar in that world, but at a high cost..."

A thin silver brow relaxed as comprehension dawned on her face.

"Ah." She smiled, the expression making her face seem oddly child-like. " Without a mind to combat my extraction...no wonder." Her head inclined slightly, appraising him. "My dear Wolfsister said you two would impress..." She looked down at Kenzi's shoulder as a long elegant finger traced along the tattoo-like marking and runes.

"It was as you say though, we were very close to being too late. I think you will find that your mate will not be so fragile as before."

The Elder Sister looked up then, leveling her gaze on Bo, Hale, and Lauren who now stood just behind her love. The mercurial violet eyes of the ancient fae were playful. "Your timing lovely succubus, was quite impeccable. A few heartbeats I think, and this human would have been gone. Dead and still the victor." She ran a hand through Kenzi's hair, regarding her for a moment. "Remarkable indeed."

Hale elbowed Bo in the ribs with a laugh.

"Is there anyone who meets you who _doesn't _ fall a little bit in love with you?" He asked. Lauren smiled as she rested her chin on Bo's shoulder, the succubus weaving her fingers in the blonde's tresses.

Elder Sister laughed then, the sound like sweet silver bells and wind through the leaves. Her eyes lingering on the two women for a moment, then she nodded as if she had just come to some conclusion with herself.

She took a step back, the glow dulling a bit as her magic receded.

"Your Mate awakens Wolf. There is one more bargain I must offer..." Her arms came to rest at her sides as she moved towards Bo and Lauren.

Dyson instinctively reached his arms out and pulled Kenzi into his chest as the magic released her to the pull of gravity. She had already begun to stir as he made his way to the shoreline of the vast pool. There was a group of twenty or so fae who stood on the shore, all dressed to the nines. Well..mostly dressed...some seemed well on their way to being naked... Most he recognized as Light fae, but some he knew to be Dark. What on earth had gone on here?

What ever it was, his people never could resist being part of a legend, and they could sniff a good story in the making a mile away. The presence of the Elder Sister was something just too sweet to miss. They allowed him to pass with his precious cargo without comment, and much to his surprise he spotted Vex. The Mesmer had removed his long velvet overcoat and was in the process of laying it down on the stone alcove for Kenzi when Dyson approached. He had a subdued but playful smile on his face as he tipped a faux salute to the Shifter.

"You missed one hell of a La Shoshain Wolfboy, they will be singing songs of your lovely little Succubus for generations..." His typically insolent tone was subdued but what could only be the smallest amount of respect. Dyson smiled, gently laying Kenzi down on the coat. Standing, he looked over to Bo and Lauren who were in deep discussion with the Elder Sister.

"She's not my Succubus anymore Vex, I can only claim to be lucky as hell to have someone like her as a friend."

Vex snorted and laughed, digging his hands into the back pockets of his smart leather trousers.

"I'll say. Any woman who will jump-start a bloody _massive_ orgy and practically make out with a tree just to save..."

"Dyson?" Kenzi's voice soft and confused floated up from below the unlikely allies, halting what would be a tale Dyson absolutely wanted to hear the rest of.

He took a knee immediately, gathering her hand in his. He was surprised to find that it was warm. As he reached down with his other hand to rest it on her shoulder, he felt a jolt run up his arm, the his wolf recognizing the essence of the Wolf Sprit within her. Her eyes blinked open.

"I'm here love." He offered, not able to suppress the grin starting to split across his face as she held out her hands for him to help pull her to sitting. "Don't you _ever_ do something like that to me again..." He lectured her before he realized what he was doing. She looked at him quizzically, and then realized Vex was standing there. Realization dawned on her face.

"Did it work?" She jumped to her feet unexpectedly, "Is this...real?"

He nodded in affirmation.

"Am I..." She looked down at her chest, hands moving against her skin from her torso up her breasts to her chest, looking for massive gaping wounds. A smirk began to creep across Vex's face when he found his shoulder punched by Dyson, who he didn't think had actually taken a look at him.

A joyous laugh overtook Kenzi as she launched herself at Dyson. She somehow managed to jump quite a bit higher than expected, and while Dyson was able to catch her, the pair tumbled backwards in a tangled pile of laughter and limbs on the damp stone.

Unashamed and unapologetic of the Fae he knew to be watching their every move, he crushed her against him, kissing her deeply. Grateful beyond words to be alive she returned the kiss ardently, arms wrapping tightly around his neck. Neither seemed interested in stopping until the sound of a throat clearing loudly brought them back to 'reality' as it were.

Kenzi sat up, straddling Dyson's waist to see her family staring down at her. Her eyes moved from Trick, to Hale-whose smile did not quite reach his eyes-to Lauren, and finally came to rest on Bo's dear face. Not Princess Yesabeau, but her BoBo.

The smile on Bo's face softened into pure exhausted relief, and for a split second she looked as if she might cry she was so happy. Her resolve melted when Kenzi leaped up from the ground and crashed into her, the tears flowing freely from both of them. Each trying to hold the other as close as they could.

For Kenzi...it felt like it had only been less than a week since she had been with dream-Bo before they had infiltrated the Morrigan's castle. But for the real Bo...Kenzi pulled back from the hug a bit and studied her bestie's face. Other than looking exhausted, she looked unchanged from how she remembered.

"How long?" She asked, tugging at a strand in Bo's hair. The Succubus smiled, her finger gently tracing the sliver marked skin of Kenzi's shoulder.

"Two months and change. Went by pretty quickly though, I was rather...focused on saving your adorable little butt." She frowned remembering Lauren's warning about time for humans trapped by the Fossegrim. "For you?"

Kenzi shrugged and looked over to Dyson who had gotten up to stand just behind her before she turned back to Bo.

"Almost a year and a half, as far as we can tell. Despite Dyson's best efforts, time was still a bit...off, and there was a medieval theme going on so calendars were in short supply. But if the seasons were any indicator, it was at least that long." Dyson's arm went around her waist, the three pulled into an embrace. There was so much between all of them, words could never fully describe the complicate emotions that flowed between these three friends. Kenzi and Dyson had much more time to adjust to their new status, but they knew for Bo...it would be harder. But as she hugged them both so tightly they knew that Yeasabeau's acceptance in the dreamworld was not merely wishful thinking, but a true expression. Bo loved them both, and wanted nothing but their happiness. When she pulled back, fingers buried in the nape of both of their necks she placed a long kiss on each of their foreheads. And acceptance, and blessing both.

Kenzi let out a breath she did not realize she had been holding.

Dyson's grip at her waist tightened a fraction, getting her attention. She turned slightly, suddenly able to sense a subtle shift in the mood of the room, as the fae began to understand the full extent of what had occurred.

There were quiet rumblings, and not entirely kind eyes being leveled on Kenzi. For better or worse, it was apparent that they had been used to save a human. With the greatest danger already gone when they arrived, the true breath of the danger Ishtar had posed seemed abstract and benign to them now, despite the rumors of the attack on the fae elders.

Dyson straightened, about to address the group when the Elder Sister stepped in front of the group of reunited friends, the light she quietly emanated intensifying when she spoke.

"Peace...a great evil has been laid to rest today. And once again it was the courage of this human who was responsible. She is now both the chosen of the Wolf Sprit and true mate of Dyson. Any who do not show her the respect due a bearer of the Sigil will be held to account by any of the Lycan clan. Are there any who object?"

Silence.

She nodded, content that be the last word on the matter.

As most of the fae began to file out of the cavern she turned and approached the group. Her bare feet silent on the ground. Her long hair gathered and draped over one arm to keep it out of the way, she remained unashamedly nude. She was beyond ancient and only took this form to help her interact with the younger fae. As such did not understand the concept of modesty.

Moving to stand next to Dyson, Kenzi thought how was strange to see a woman tower over him so. Her face relaxed as playful smile came to settle on her features, her whole demeanor changing. She leaned in towards Bo in a conspiratorial tone that sounded much more like a impish grandmother than an ageless ethereal beauty.

"Well dear ones, this has been quite the little adventure you roused me for." She winked. "And such a wake up call indeed." She reached out unexpectedly and touched Lauren's face, chasing the worried expression there away with the kind gesture.

"Do not worry so my lovely alchemist, the price will not seem so dear in the end..."

Kenzi felt a slight sick twinge in her stomach, suddenly remembering that the Elder Sister was a Norn. But before she could say anything, the ancient fae gathered her hair and gracefully turned back towards the water without saying another word. As she approached the middle of the pool, the Fossegrim's tiny ugly face, bereft of his glamor peeked up, looking at her meekly. She smiled and patted his head.

"I will take this one with me, I have many stories that may soothe his madness somewhat. His role, intentional or not in preventing this nightmare cannot be left unrewarded. Besides I could use a companion as it may take awhile to find my little sister, she and I have _much _to discuss."

With a final smile, she blinked out leaving the cavern suddenly quite dark.

For an awkward moment the group just stood there. After so much had happened...what really could you say?

As if they all agreed on that exact point, the group turned almost as one and made its way out of the cavern in companionable silence.

But as they piled into the elevator and the doors began to close Kenzi remembered one critical thing. Turning quickly she grasped Dyson's forearms desperately, pure excitement radiating across her face.

"Dyson...pizza! We can have pizza!" She looked at Trick. "Please, by all that is good and true in the world tell me there can be pizza."

The Blood King laughed, a deep hearty sound that quickly spread through the assembled group. Possessed, lived in stasis, died, and resurrected, and the first thing she can think of is her pizza.

Yup, everything was going to be just fine.

Dyson pulled her back into his arms, lifting her up for a kiss as the doors closed, taking them back up into the sun.


	10. Epilogue

Kenzi watched as soft mist covered the slowly waking world outside of the window. The sun had begun its slow assent in the east, warm colors starting to seep into the deep hues of night, chasing away the dark. Their home overlooked the mountains, a massive apartment that was part of the Glaive's new compound.

Or, to be more precise, Bo's compound.

It had been two years since Ishtar had tried to claw her way from Kenzi's flesh, and since then, much had changed in the Fae world. It was almost unimaginable to Kenzi. She could only guess at how strange it must be for those who had lived with the Peace for so long. Where the Garuda had driven the Light and Dark further apart, the battle with Bo's father had almost destroyed them all, but in the end a true alliance, and even understanding between the sides had formed.

The warnings of the Wolf Sprit echoed in her mind. Something that would rely on the strength of this true peace was coming.

For now at least, the Peace not only held, but thrived. Due in no small part to the burgeoning friendship between the Morrigan and the light fae. Kenzi knew in an abstract way that there had been a different Morrigan before Vex had been elected, but she had never had the chance to see her after they awoke. According to her favorite Mesmer, the elders had grown quite tired of the former Morrigan's self-serving behavior making cowards and oathbreakers of their people, keeping them uninvolved in decisions critical to all the fae. After a vote of no confidence, no one was actually sure what happened to her.

Despite his irritation and the responsibility forced on him, Vex proved a strangely capable leader, and both sides prospered. In an attempt to continue this true peace, both sides decided to elect a single law keeping body that had jurisdiction over both Light and Dark.

Noone was more surprised than Bo, when they unanimously declared her the new Glaive.

The greatest causality as far as Kenzi was concerned, had been the Crackshack. Down in flames while still in its disastrous prime. It settled the small heartache Kenzi had about moving out to live with her husband quite nicely though.

Kenzi smiled as she heard Dyson slip out of bed and pad quietly across the plush carpet to join her by the bay window. Standing behind her, she loved the feeling of his strong arms slip around her bare waist, hands laying flat against her the slightly protruding bump low on her belly.

She leaned back against his strong chest, taking in a long deep breath of his scent. More than she had years ago, she found his sent could calm her instantly, her heart involuntarily slowing when she felt he was near. While nothing compared to his, ever since the Wolf Sprit had marked her as her own, all of her senses had been heightened.

Of course, that could also just be the hormones.

"Insomnia again?" He asked quietly, his voice carrying a touch of worry. She smiled and rested her hands on top of his, nodding. She was thankful that their little one seemed to be ignorant of all the pre-requisites of first-trimester human pregnancies. Instead of bloated and nauseous as Lauren had cautioned her to expect, she felt strong, incredibly so. Territorial, and hungry too. Not just for food either. Bo had actually requested that they try harder to keep it down in the middle of the night. Bo...the _succubus._

"Just a little. The sun is coming up soon, and I didn't want to wake you." She traced small circles on his skin of his hand while he did the same on her belly. They had talked about children many times, but always in the future tense, an abstract. When Lauren gave them the news, shock was fairly high on the list of emotions felt. Just beneath surprise, and first of all...joy. Followed shortly after by a great deal of panic on Kenzi's part.

After doing an extensive amount of blood work the Doctor admitted that she was surprised they had not gotten pregnant sooner. With Kenzi's changed metabolism and slightly accelerated healing, she basically burned off her birth-control within hours of taking it.

Luaren's only guess was the stress and chaos of the last two years had prevented it, as fae seemed to have some conscious control over their reproductive cycles, whatever changes the Wolf Sprit had made to Kenzi's physiology-to include vastly slowed aging- must have contributed to the delay.

Sure enough, as things quieted down, as much as they did for people like them...preggo.

Dyson made a small disapproving sound at her concern for waking him as his head bent down placing a line of kisses along her neck.

"Never worry about that love. If you need anything...I'm here."

She nodded gratefully. He knew that her fear of pending motherhood often had left her with nightmares. She secretly was terrified that she would not be a good mom, that she wouldn't be enough. But time and time again, he would walk her back from her fears, reassuring her.

She took a deep slow breath and reached her hand up to knot her fingers in the hair at the base of his neck, arching her back slightly to do so. He must have sensed her mood, a small purring sound pulled from her lips in anticipation as one of his hands left her belly and moved upwards. With infinite care, he caressed the underside of an incredibly sensitive breast, soliciting a moan of pure pleasure from his pregnant mate. With a quiet possessive growl he gathered her up in his arms, soft laughter falling from her lips.

As he turned to take her back to bed, the sun finally broke above the ridge of the mountain, flooding the room with deep warm light, a promise of hope.

Capturing her mouth in his, he laid her gently back into the sheets. She could feel in every touch, each caress how much he loved her. And for the first time in her lonely restless life, a life full of ghosts and uncertainty, she knew that as long as they had each other...whatever the future may hold for them, she would be happy.

She would be whole.

The End.


End file.
